THE SNP has issued a new year challenge to Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to stand with Scotland’s pensioners or “continue to stand up for the Prime Minister.”

The Scottish government is pressing against the apparent split in Labour leaderships at Westminister and Scottish levels on the Labour government’s controversial decision not to compensate Waspi women.

A fortnight ago, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced that the government accepted Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Rebecca Hilsenrath’s conclusion that women born in the 1950s had suffered “maladministration” by the department as changes to pension age were accelerated.

But Ms Kendall infuriated Waspi campaigners by refusing to accept the ombudsman’s “remedy” recommendation — a compensation package Ms Hilsenrath estimated at between £3.5 billion and £10.5bn — on the grounds of cost.

The move sparked fury across the political spectrum and prompted Mr Sarwar to acknowledge “there is justified frustration is in the blanket no compensation position.”

In an apparent move to distance himself from the decision, he stated he would “continue to stand” with campaigners.

Accusing the Labour government of “the same old Westminster betrayal,” SNP MSP Clare Haughey said: “In 2024, older people in Scotland have been let down time and time again by this UK government and now the millions of Waspi women who have spent so many years campaigning for what they are due will rightly feel betrayed.

“Sir Keir Starmer has strung pensioners along only to betray them.

“As we go into 2025, the choice for Anas Sarwar is will he spend the next year standing up for older people in Scotland or will he continue to stand up for the Prime Minister?”

Highlighting the Labour split on Waspi, Scottish Labour MSP Paul O’Kane said: “It is right that the UK government has recognised the injustice suffered by the Waspi women.

“However, many will be disappointed that no compensation is being offered to the thousands of women impacted by the Tory decision to raise their pension age without proper notice.

“Of course, the UK government should be focused on fixing the economic mess it inherited but in recognising this injustice we would hope to have seen a compromise position that would have allowed for some form of compensation for the Waspi women most in need from this long-running failure.”