CAMPAIGNERS lobbying for a halt to changes to the ages at which women can claim their state pensions met in Newport today.

Deputy leader of Welsh Labour Carolyn Harris was among speakers at a meeting of the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign at the Barnabas Art House in New Ruperra Street this morning.

The group was founded after, in 2011, the then-coalition government accelerated plans to increase the age at which women can claim their state pension, meaning women born on or after April 6, 1951, will have to wait longer than they had previously planned to claim the benefit. The WASPI campaign has said there was inadequate notification of the change, with hundreds of thousands of women being left out of pocket.

MORE NEWS:

Ms Harris, who is also co-chairwoman of the State Pension Inequality All Party Parliamentary Group, spoke at the meeting following a General Election pledge by Labour to compensate all women affected by the change - with 195,100 women in line for payouts of up to £31,000.

The Swansea East candidate said she could not imagine working a physically-intensive job to retirement age, only to see it increased.

"We never held a meaningful vote on the pension age increase in Parliament," she said. "[Labour] did try to tackle the issue through other mechanisms, but it was always hampered by cross-party co-operation.

"This was never an ideal settlement and we know it, but it would have been nothing otherwise."

Speaking at a Question Time debate on Friday, prime minister Boris Johnson told an audience member he could not "magic up the money" for compensation.

"When Mr Johnson spoke I didn't know whether to laugh or cry - it was total and utter dismissal of the work done by so many groups," said Ms Harris. "What Labour are offering is not what any specific group has wanted, but it's the best any party can offer."

Speaking afterwards, Ms Harris said: "We will find the money for this, it's our moral responsibility. There may be a cost in tax, but we haven't got a choice. It's the right thing."

Sally Hyman, the organiser of the Neath Port Talbot branch of the campaign, said: "This deal is not just the best thing on the table - it's the only thing. It will benefit us greatly and we want to see it implemented from the first day of a new government.

"Some are already on the streets, while others don't have adequate food or heating. It's a priority to get money into those women's pockets as soon as possible."

Ruth Jones, Welsh Labour candidate for Newport West, was among those to attend the meeting. She said: "I'm here because of the unfairness of the situation these women are facing. Some were months away from retirement, some had to remortgage houses. Others lost life savings. It's such an unfair system.

"This pledge isn't what everyone wants but it's a positive move."

Labour's pledge has been criticised by Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson, who branded it "uncosted".

Also running in Newport West are:

  • Jonathan Clark (Plaid Cymru)
  • Cameron Edwards (Brexit Party)
  • Matthew Evans (Conservatives)
  • Ryan Jones (Lib Dem)
  • Amelia Womack (Green)