- Greater Manchester mayor and Makerfield by-election candidate Andy Burnham has ruled out financial compensation for women affected by state pension age changes, despite earlier suggesting they "deserve some recompense".
- A spokesperson for Mr Burnham confirmed he now "accepts the decision not to award compensation to the group is final".
- While in opposition, Labour figures, including Sir Keir Starmer, backed the Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaign, but the party has refused compensation demands since taking office.
- Instead of financial payments, Mr Burnham's spokesperson indicated he might consider schemes offering early access to free travel, similar to a model implemented in Greater Manchester.
- The Waspi campaign argues women born in the 1950s received insufficient notice of the state pension age increase, with potential compensation costs estimated to be over £10 billion based on a Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report.
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