Yet just as the Christmas break beckons, the Prime Minister finds his Government embroiled in a fight that risks dividing his own party: the plight of the Waspi women.
On Tuesday, Liz Kendall took to the Chamber to announce that the Waspi women – born in the 1950s – would not be compensated for a Civil Service mess up which saw some not given sufficient warning that the pension rules were changing and the age would be increased from 60 to 65. It quickly led to a pummeling from her own side – with Labour MPs raising concerns.
In 2019, Jeremy Corbyn pledged in the election that he would deliver full compensation. In the 2024 Labour manifesto no financial commitment was made – but several senior ministers posed with members of the campaign and held up signs indicating their support.
However, in a time when Cabinet ministers are regularly told “no” or “there is no money”, this report’s suggestions have been rejected by the new Labour Government. The Chancellor has said there will be no such payments – as the compensation that would have rang up to £10.5bn is “not the best use of taxpayers’ money”.
The Chancellor has gone from being seen as the shining light in Starmer’s Government to having the toughest brief around. Growth is sluggish to non-existent – she faces a range of spending demands from departments and is also trying to stay good on her claim that she would not come back with a begging bowl for more taxes after opting for £40bn of additional tax rises from the Budget.
However, here is where the campaign runs in to a problem. No one can deny that many of the Waspi women have undergone a difficult time as a result of failures on guidance flagging the change.
The Government’s betrayal of Waspi women won’t just go away
Read MoreThese are uncomfortable questions to ask – particularly when there are plenty of heartbreaking stories about women hurt by the pension change. But to govern is to choose, and in Government the view is that the other state failures have to be prioritised – they are the priority.
It means Reeves has a case she can argue on denying these payments – as much anguish as it may cause those affected. The blame that can be laid on the Labour Government, however, relates to the false hope campaigners were given.
Katy Balls is the political editor of ‘The Spectator‘
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