An expert suggests Anas Sarwar clarify his role in the Waspi vote to avoid being seen as a weak leader
Edinburgh: Last week, Scottish Labour MSPs joined forces with others in Holyrood, urging the UK Government to compensate women born in the 1950s affected by pension age changes.
Even after a recommendation for compensation between £1,000 and £2,950 per person from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, the Labour UK Government has turned a blind eye. This has been called “extremely unusual” by the Ombudsman.
Now, SNP leader Stephen Flynn is gearing up to present a bill at Westminster, which could force the Labour Government to compensate Waspi women if it passes.
Scottish Labour MPs are under the spotlight, with the SNP pushing Sarwar to rally his MPs to support the compensation, questioning his leadership strength.
Professor Rob Johns, a key figure in the Scottish Election Study, believes Sarwar should be upfront about his limited control over Scottish Labour MPs. He suggests Sarwar needs to be honest about his role.
Johns mentioned that Sarwar should clarify that he can only influence Scottish Labour MSPs, not MPs. This could help counter the “lame duck leader” narrative.
He pointed out that Sarwar should stress the difference between how Scottish Labour MSPs and UK Labour MPs vote, which could help him defend against criticism.
When asked about the Waspi vote, Sarwar didn’t clarify how Scottish Labour MPs would vote, even though his MSP hinted they would support the women.
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray has already stated he will vote with the Government, claiming the decision against compensation was correct.
In the past, key Labour figures, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, supported a pledge for quick compensation for Waspi campaigners, making the UK Government’s inaction feel like a “betrayal” to many.
Waspi chair Angela Madden urged Scottish Labour MPs to “be brave and vote with your conscience,” promising to keep an eye on their support for the campaign.
