Shelagh Simmons and Carolyne Jacobs, joint co-ordinators of the Solent WASPI group, share this latest news. Ed
As stated in the press and elsewhere, pensions are a major feature in the forthcoming Election. The Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign is likely to feature strongly in the discussions over the next few weeks. Indeed, some political parties are already making declarations in favour of WASPI women.
Solent WASPI Supporters’ Group welcomes the opportunity offered by the General Election to press the case for fair transitional arrangements for 1950s born women hit by state pension age rises with little, or no, notice.
Keep the momentum going
Group Joint Coordinators, Shelagh Simmons and Carolyne Jacobs, said:
“Our campaign has gone from strength to strength since the National Demonstration on Budget Day (8th March 2017).
“The General Election gives us a great chance to build on that and keep the momentum going.”
Work so far
Nationally, WASPI and partners Connect Communications have:-
- Sent letters to all political parties, calling on them to include WASPI in their manifestos
- Written to key MPs and manifesto writers to request meetings about the manifestos
- Circulated Labour’s manifesto consultation to WASPI supporters via Facebook etc.
- Asked all local groups to write to incumbent MPs and candidates urging them to support WASPI
- Launched #WASPIpledge Twitter account and promoted via Facebook
More is planned throughout the election campaign.
Inviting candidates to sign the WASPI pledge
In addition, Shelagh Simmons and Carolyne Jacobs (Joint Coordinators of the local Solent WASPI group), stated that:
“We are writing to candidates from all parties across our Solent Group region (Southampton, Portsmouth, Winchester, South Hampshire and the Isle of Wight) asking them to sign the WASPI Pledge and tweet photos of support. It is a direct and simple way to promise, if elected, to work towards a fair solution for 1950s women and their families.”
Women affected by the SPA changes have been forced to wait up to an extra 6 years for their state pension, losing as much as £46,000 in the process.
Hard-working women treated “shabbily”
Shelagh Simmons and Carolyne Jacobs stress that WASPI members seek no more, and no less, than they were promised.
They said,
“The General Election is the perfect time for all candidates to stand up and be counted. They can either turn their backs on women who have worked hard all their lives only to be treated so shabbily by the state; or they can acknowledge the obvious injustice we have suffered and commit to putting it right. The choice is theirs and their choice will affect the way we vote.”
