PRIME Minister Sir Keir Starmer faces his first major rebellion after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and as many as 100 of his own MPs disowned his decision not to compensate Waspi women.

Despite accepting the assessment that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was guilty of “maladminstration” in handling changes to state pension eligibility for women born in the 1950s, and offering an apology on behalf of the government, Labour Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall dismissed the ombudsman’s calls for compensation on Tuesday.

The watchdog had suggested payments of up to £2,950 each for affected women, running to a bill estimated at £3.5-10.5 billion.

But the government has refused to pay up, citing the state of the public finances. 

The decision was not ony met with anger from unions and Waspi campaigners but from Labour MPs and MSPs, many of whom — like Ms Kendall and Sir Keir — have signed pledges to deliver justice for the women.

Mr Sarwar has voiced his opposition to the decision amid concerns from Scottish Labour insiders that the party already had a “Starmer problem” after a recent Norstat poll in Scotland showed support for the party in Holyrood constituencies plunging by nine points since August to just 21 per cent — lower than under the predecessor he deposed, Richard Leonard.

Speaking to STV news, the Scottish Labour leader said of Waspi campaigners: “I continue to stand with them in the face of their injustice.

“I think a blanket no compensation position is the wrong one and I’m deeply disappointed by that.”

Oppostion MPs now plan to force a vote on the issue, raising the spectre of a 100-strong Labour rebellion, a move backed by newly elected Labour Alloa and Grangemouth MP Brian Leishman, who told Sky news: “We campaigned in opposition to correct that injustice, and now that we’re in power we really should deliver.”

Scottish Waspi campaigners who rallied at Holyrood today told the Star they were gutted by the decision.

But bouyed by support from SNP First Minister John Swinney and socialist MSPs Katy Clark and Richard Leonard, they vowed fight on.

Scottish Waspi campaigner Rosie Dickson told the Star: “Ignoring the ombudsman’s report findings creates a dangerous precedent for any UK citizen wanting to raise a complaint aganist governnment.

“The fight continues, we will not go away until we get the justice we deserve.”