WASPI campaigner for DWP compensation slams Ombudsman's suggested amount
EXCLUSIVE: The WASPI campaigner has taken aim not just at the DWP - but at the very report demanding compensation.
A campaigner calling for compensation for the WASPI generation of women has spoken of her frustration at the lack of action from the Government during her years on the campaign trail.
Pressure is building as MPs are calling for DWP payouts for the WASPI (Women against state pension inequality) generation of 1950s-born women.
Kay Clarke, founder of 1950s Women of Wales, is also pushing for action but said there have been historical problems with getting Parliament to act on the issue.
She told Express.co.uk: "They’ve all really tried hard - Back to 60 with the judicial review, WASPI with the Ombudsman.
"But they’ve all hit the same brick wall, and it’s all thrown back to Parliament. Parliament say the same old answers every single time they’re asked the question.
"They seem to be a bit of waste of time in there. They’ve become very political since I’ve been involved in this campaign, and I’ve got to know how they work.
"They spend so much time arguing between themselves and not answering the questions they are asked on any subject.
"They twist it around to give an answer, sometimes totally unrelated to the question, just to bat people off and not reply. It’s so frustrating."
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A report came out last month from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman recommending compensation of between £1,000 and £2,950.
Ms Clarke said such an amount was a "big insult when you think that we're down £50,000 each".
She commented: "The amount of compensation they are offering, I spent more than that personally in travelling expenses supporting various activities around the country over the past nine years [while campaigning]."
Ms Clarke has launched a petition to Parliament calling for a public inquiry into how the increase in the state pension age affecting 1950s-born women was handled.
She said her campaign group is working to put together information to present to such an inquiry if it does takes place.
She is also planning to hold another rally in Westminster, potentially to coincide with a debate in Parliament on the question of compensation.
A debate was approved by backbench MPs last week on the question of compensation.
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