A coalition of Labour MPs and trade union leaders has launched a new political initiative called Socialism26, issuing a series of demands including compensation for WASPI women. The move comes as WASPI campaigners confirm fresh legal action against the Labour government, following poor local election results for Sir Keir Starmer.
WASPI Legal Action Intensifies
WASPI campaigners have announced they are proceeding with new legal proceedings against the Labour Party government. In March, the group stated that lawyers would raise “legal errors” with the government, giving it 14 days to respond. Angela Madden, chair of the WASPI campaign, declared: “We will not be ignored and we will not give up this fight.”
The fresh legal action follows a series of disastrous local election results for Sir Keir Starmer. On X, the WASPI campaign stated: “3.6 million #WASPI #1950swomen haven’t forgotten @UKLabour leaders reneging on the promises they made. We are the generation most likely to vote and we outnumber the MP’s majority in over 50% of constituencies.”
Electoral Warning
Another campaigner, Theresa, told Starmer on X: “You need to reflect on the fact that the vast majority of previous Labour voters who are #WASPI women will have withdrawn their support in these elections. The betrayal over compensation has had significant electoral consequences - time to put it right.”
Socialism26 Initiative Launched
The founders of Socialism26 include Unison’s Andrea Egan, FBU’s Steve Wright, CWU’s Dave Ward, TSSA’s Maryam Eslamdoust, and Neil Duncan-Jordan. Labour MPs supporting the initiative include Chris Hinchliff, Cat Eccles, Terry Jermy, Peter Lamb, Brian Leishman, Simon Opher, Richard Quigley, Lee Barron, Lorraine Beavers, Chris Bloore, and Steve Witherden. The group is also backed by numerous Socialist Campaign Group MPs.
Angela Madden, chair of the Waspi campaign, said: “The Government has had every opportunity to do the right thing for Waspi women. Instead, they have made a political choice that risks alienating voters in hundreds of marginal seats across the country.” She added: “After recent Labour local election losses, the party now has a clear choice: listen to Waspi women and compensate them fairly, or face the consequences at the next general election. We will not be ignored, and we will not give up this fight.”
