Wow … I blinked and before you could say High Court action (see my previous blog) I hear that the government have decided to launch a shortened version of their long awaited National Disability Strategy!
Unsurprisingly, groups and organisations of disabled people (DPOs) have reacted angrily to this “tokenistic” and “rehashed” move by the government, complaining that once again they’ve not been included in any part of the consultation process.
Of course, the government claim that they have consulted, although when you look at the list of organisations who have “so generously shared their time and insights” we’re not surprised to see the usual suspects, Leonard Cheshire, Scope and Mencap etc., leading the field! For the uninitiated, most of them believe that disabled people are not capable of managing their own affairs, never mind playing a role in the running of their organisations.
And no matter how many times we inform the government that we are not represented by these people, but that we have our own organisations including People First, The Reclaiming Our Futures Alliance (ROFA) and Inclusion London, to name but a few, they still go to the ones that maintain the status quo (for status quo read ‘keeping the disabled [sic] in their place’).
What’s that? (Ed: muted muttering) … apparently I stand corrected, there was one DPO that was consulted, the Disabled Motoring UK organisation!
Description of cartoon for those using screen reading software
An elderly woman in an open topped car has been pulled over into a coned off area of the road. A large sign reads ‘National disability strategy’ and a white man in a suit holding a clipboard and pen is standing alongside of it. The suited man is saying to her: I’ve ticked all of the boxes for you madam – all you have to do is just sign it for me!”. The woman is saying: “That’s very kind of you dear – who did you say you were?!”
Crippen Cartoons 
Posted by A6er on 09/08/2021 at 18:00
Reblogged this on Tory Britain! .
Posted by Ian Hutson on 10/08/2021 at 07:29
Same on the canals of England (which are being privatised by a wholly unaccountable organsiation). Perhaps one, maybe two of the groups ever “consulted” knows anything of the existence of those who live on the canals, all of the others are money-interest groups comfortabley sharing the Canal Company’s agenda. Ninety percent of those in the firing line are never allowed a voice. People who live on the canals have been glossed over so many times that we look as though we’re set in amber.