One of London’s top law firms has written to Mel Stride, the work and pensions secretary, inviting him to agree to mediation talks to end the long suffering impasse on awarding compensation to the now 3.5 million 50s born women who had to wait another six years before they got their pension.

Garden Court Chambers, which takes up human rights issues, has a specialist role in mediation. Next month it will be hosting a seminar evaluating the use of mediation in the Court of Protection, which makes and regulates decisions on behalf of people who don’t have the mental capacity do so, publishing research done by Dr Jaime Lindsey of Essex University.

The law firm has a long history of looking at women’s equality issues and two years ago hosted a people’s tribunal looking at the full implementation in the UK of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which Lady Thatcher ratified in 1986.

Six barristers and leading KC’s from the firm gave their time pro bono to advise on the legal arguments and took evidence from witnesses. The pro bono support was seen as unprecedented at the time. Each session was chaired by a panel of senior lawyers from the firm. They were ” counsel assisting ” to Dr Jocelynne Scutt, the former Australian judge and anti discrimination, who chaired the hearings.

Dr Scutt also chaired a one day inquiry which looked into the long standing plight of 50s women who were having to wait for their pension. Dr Elgun Safarov, vice chair of (CEDAW) from Geneva, gave evidence. She is in the UK teaching law at Buckingham University.

Dr Scutt’s report into the issue was published at the end of November and concluded that there was direct discrimination of women for all pensioners born after 1950 but those born up to 1960 had to bear the full brunt of the change.

Dr Scutt said: “What my report says is that women born 1950s were directedly discriminated against because they were targeted to bear the full impact of the change from 60 years, so as to equalise the retirement age with men’s retirement age. Most had no notice, or inadequate notice, of the change so suffered egregious economic hardship, stress, anxiety and psychological trauma as they had to change retirement plans and try to negotiate staying in their jobs or getting a new job in a time frame that was unrealistic or impossible to do.”

It has also to be taken into account that 9.8m men were given 5 years free auto credits to retire 5 years early, aged 60, whilst the state pension of 3.8m 1950’s women was twice deferred, by stealth, and they were then coerced back to work for up to another 6 years having been denied the promised similar auto credits awarded to men.

Dr Scutt hand delivered the report to Rishi Sunak at Downing Street just before it was published. It was also delivered to Robert Behrens, the Parliamentary Ombudsman, who is currently involved in a long inquiry into how much the women should be compensated after finding partial maladminstration.

CEDAWinLAW.com sent the judge’s report to Garden Court Chambers and briefed the law firm on the issue. and asked them whether this injustice would benefit from mediation talks.

The law firm has now written to Mel Stride inviting him to consider impartial mediation talks as a further pro bono move.

This move chimed in with MPs who have been calling for an an Alternative Disputes Resolution talks. Sir George Howarth, Labour MP for Knowsley and Lloyd Russell-Moyle, MP for Brighton, Kemptown and Peacehaven, have already written to Mr Stride.

Yasmin Qureshi, Labour shadow women and equalities minister, has added her voice saying ” 50s women have been left in the lurch” and drawing Mr Stride’s attention to the judge’s report’s conclusion:

‘Government and Parliament have a responsibility to face up to and acknowledge the grave wrong done. There is no room for obfuscation or quibbling. Historical discrimination requires relief. There is a moral imperative to right this wrong. The law is on the side of the 1950s-born women. 1950s born women alone are the group targeted.This is a debt of law and honour. Full restitution is the only proper legal, ethical and moral outcome.’

Some 50 MPs from the Labour Party to the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, the SDLP, Alba and the Democratic Unionist Party support Sir George’s initiative.

At the same time the campaigner, Gina Miller. leader of the True & Fair Party, and best known for her fight with the government over Brexit, has accepted an invitation to advocate with CEDAWinLAW on behalf of all 1950’s women victims.

Finally Ms Rebecca Hilsenrath, Chief Executive Officer of the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s office, has agreed she will meet Joanne Welch, from CEDAWinLAW.com. A date has to be agreed between both parties.

This is the statement issued by CEDAWinLAW:
“CEDAWinLAW.COM takes this welcome opportunity to thank The Hon Dr Jocelynne Scutt AO for her ongoing treasured pro bono counsel.

Today, Gina Miller, Leader, True & Fair Party, welcomes CEDAWinLAW.COM’s announcement below and has accepted our invitation to join us as we advocate for 1950’s Women with said matters in hand.

Garden Court Chambers impartial invitation letter to Mediation Talks with Joanne Welch, Founder, CEDAWinLAW.COM, [on behalf of all 1950’s Women out of The Judge’s Report] has been sent to the Rt Hon Mel Stride MP, Secretary of State for Work & Pensions.

Ms Rebecca Hilsenrath, CEO, PHSO, has invited Ms Welch to meet with her.”

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