Labour councillors support protest over women's pension '˜scandal'

Labour councillors at East Lindsey District Council are proposing a motion on Wednesday (December 5) which will ask ELDC to lobby the Government concerning the hardship faced by women hit by failures to inform them about raises to their state pension age.
East Lindsey District Council headquarters.East Lindsey District Council headquarters.
East Lindsey District Council headquarters.

Before and during the meeting, the Lincolnshire Lionesses campaign group with be staging a Suffragette-themed protest to add pressure to the Council to support them.

Councillor Sarah Parkin, who is proposing the motion, said: “This is not a campaign against increasing women’s pension age. We recognise that in a changing world this was inevitable. This is about the way governments have failed to communicate with these women.

“Many of them weren’t told for years on end about the changes, and thus were unable to change employment, pension and savings plans. Many have been left in poverty and forced to sell their homes and/or move onto benefits.

“We are simply asking that, where this has been the case, that appropriate financial compensation is offered to these women.”

Seconding the motion, Councillor Ros Jackson said: “Lincolnshire councils need to step up to the mark on this.

“So far over 140 councils of all political colours across the country have passed similar motions.

“We estimate that 50,000 women in Lincolnshire have been affected by the policy change, so it is really important that East Lindsey do what is right and speak up for them.”

Bett Johnson, from Lincolnshire Lionesses, said: “We are really pleased that this motion is coming to the council.

“It would be great for us to have East Lindsey’s support and for them to agree to lobby for us.

“There are members of our group who have been left really struggling because they were not given the information from government.

“Just how are we meant to have been able to survive when we have lost tens of thousands of pounds with no way of being able to change our plans?”