The Tory Christmas panto got off to a great start this week, seemingly totally unscripted with Richie Sunak as Widow Twanky ad libbing his way through Act one and opening with the statement that he would be scrapping the post of minister for disabled people …
(Oh no he isn’t! Oh yes, he is! … )
Talk about timing. Just days after the Covid public enquiry heard how disabled people were left without protection, written out of key investigations and proper consultation, and had their rights ignored by the UK government during the pandemic!
(Oh no they didn’t! Oh yes, they did!)
But wait. Act two commences with a NEW minister of disabled people being appointed, albeit being downgraded to a junior position in the form of Mims Davies who will be combining her new role with her existing job as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) minister responsible for young people and social mobility.
(Oh no she isn’t! Oh yes, she is! … )
But what about her predecessor Uncle Tom Pursglove, I hear you ask?
(Oh no we didn’t … !)
Well, Tom has been invited to disappear up the magic bean stalk and join those other ex-ministers for disabled people, like Justin Tomlinson (who?!) Claire Coutinho, Mike Penning and Esther McVey (to name but a few) who are all chortling away about those naïve disabled people who expected them all to make a difference!
But hang on! Who’s this barging his way on stage at the start of Act three?
(He’s behind you!)
It’s none other than the chair of the Conservative Disability Group (CDG) Barry Ginley, who is not a happy bunny! In fact, he’s so furious that many of his members are considering tearing up their party memberships in protest at the decision to downgrade the importance of the role of minister for disabled people.
We’ve actually managed to get hold of a copy of his script where he says that he was “extremely angered and disappointed”, and he urged Sunak to reverse the decision “to ensure that our rights as the largest minority group in the UK are championed in parliament and Westminster”. He added that it was a “retrograde step diminishing the rights of disabled people to be effectively represented”.
Caught outside of the stage door by Disability News Service (DNS) Ace reporter John Pring he went a step further by adding that “the government does not hold disabled people’s interests at the heart of policy” and that it meant disabled people would now “not believe the government” when it announces any future policy which aims to improve their lives.
(Surely not?!)
Finally, taking centre stage with the other main characters of this end of year Tory production, Ms Davies said she was “honoured” by her appointment and would “work as hard as I can to ensure disabled people’s voices are heard loud and clear”.
(The cast now all exit stage left, high kicking and waving at the audience!)
BTW, there was further embarrassment for the government after DWP announced the appointment of Mims Davies through an inaccessible post on social media that failed to include “alt text”, which allows disabled people using screen-reading software to listen to a description of a picture.
Description of cartoon for those using screen reading software
The scene is a pantomime stage with Richie Sunak dressed in an outlandish ‘dame’ panto costume whilst alongside of him and dressed in polka dots and stripes is Mims Davies. Davies is holding a magic lamp which has a label attached to it which states that it’s the ‘poison chalice of disability’. Behind them is a giant bean stalk which carries near its top pictures of previous ministers for disabled people; Tom Pursglove, Justin Tomlinson and Esther McVey. There is also a black cat sitting alongside Sunak. Sunak is saying: “And if you’re very good you get to climb the bean stalk with the other losers!” Davies is replying: “Er … thank you Sir (I think!)”
Crippen Cartoons 