Women Against State Pension Inequality thank Foyle MP Mark Durkan for 'impassioned speech' at rally

SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan has been praised by Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaigners from Northern Ireland for an impassioned speech he gave at yesterday’s rally in London calling for compensation for women born in the 1950s who have been hit by rises to the state pension age – including in Derry and throughout the North.

The rally, which coincided with International Women’s Day, was attended by thousands of campaigners.

Mr Durkan, who is Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Women Against State Pension Inequality, vowed to continue the fight for compensation.

He said: “I pledge to do all that I can to help WASPI women take their logical, reasonable and compelling campaign forward in parliament.

“These women are not just haphazard victims of a drive-by cut in the name of austerity; they have been carefully selected and calculated as the victims.

“They have been used to inequality and injustice all their lives; they have been on the receiving end of inequality in respect of gender pay gaps and denial of access to second pensions at a time when their male colleagues were given access to them.

“The aim of this government seems to be, ‘Let’s give them one more twist of injustice in the name of equalisation as they come to the end of their working lives’.

“That is an absolute travesty – which offers these women stone for bread.

“This parliament will have conspired and connived in this injustice – which is why we have to change it and why this campaign must continue.”

One campaigner tweeted: “Great address by Mark Durkan MP at WASPI rally at Westminster this afternoon.”

Another tweeted: “Thank u for the Gr8 speech in support of WASPI!”