Disabled activists have announced a fightback against a series of “horrific” government social security reforms and have called for “active resistance” to the plans.
Commencing with a national day of action for Monday 4th March, two days before the spring budget, this will include a protest in London, and – it is hoped – other protests organised by local groups around the country, while DPAC will also suggest ways that disabled activists can take part from home.
Ellen Clifford, of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) and the UK coalition of Deaf and disabled people’s organisations that monitors the implementation of the UN disability convention, told Disability News Service that disabled people were now faced with “another set of horrific proposals in the pipeline” after 14 years of their lives becoming “harder and harder” under Conservative-led governments.
A meeting in parliament this week heard that disabled people would not wait for the general election, because there was no guarantee that a Labour government would reverse the government’s proposals. Instead, they called for a return to street protest, led by DPAC, to resist Conservative plans to cut out-of-work disability benefits and introduce other harmful social security reforms.
Among DPAC’s concerns are government plans to intensify the conditions and sanctions imposed on benefit claimants, and to tighten the work capability assessment (WCA). They also point to proposals that will eventually scrap the WCA, and rely instead on the personal independence payment (PIP) assessment.
Paula Peters, a member of DPAC’s national steering group, told the meeting that “We need to build a united campaign that speaks loudly to say that these changes are completely unacceptable, and we need to demand instead a social security system that is fair for all, one that provides a social safety net that affords a decent living, one that we can access without having our mental health destroyed, and one that doesn’t kill us.”
Andy Greene, a member of DPAC’s national steering group, who has played a crucial role in past DPAC direct action, told the meeting: “I think there is a real need just to get back on the streets… and make sure we’re a street presence again, because I think that is where our strength came from previously.
“I think that re-establishing that commitment to street politics is important for any campaign.”
John McDonnell, the Labour MP, DPAC member and former shadow chancellor, who hosted the meeting, said he believed the event was about the “relaunch of a resistance movement on disability” after years of “cuts, austerity, stigma, threats, and to be frank, abuse”. He said it was vital to “demonstrate we are back again” and that disabled people needed to “mobilise” and “ruthlessly pursue” their demands.
Read the full story in Disability News Service.
Description of cartoon for those using screen reading software
In the foreground of the cartoon a large group of disabled people can be seen protesting in front of a larger crowd in the background. Several are holding placards that read ‘We demand an end to benefit sanctions’ and ‘Stop Tory attacks on disabled people’. They are chanting: “What do we want? … An end to oppression … When do we want it? … NOW!”
Crippen Cartoons 