A message from the disabled activists who took John Pring’s new book to Parliament.
Thanks to you we did it!
On 2nd September 2024, Disabled campaigners from across the UK took 650 copies of The Department: How a Violent Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence by John Pring to Parliament. Each one was in a black envelope individually addressed to each MP as a contribution from Pluto publishers.
TV stars Cherylee Houston and Lisa Hammond turned up on the day to help us carry the books along with representatives from Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations supporting the initiative.
Contrary to the advice that we had been given on a number of occasions when different members had contacted Parliament to confirm how best to make the delivery, the books were denied entrance. This meant that the meeting we had booked for MPs to come and hear about the further social security cuts that are planned as a continuation from Tory policy was not able to happen.
Instead, campaigners took a spontaneous decision to blockade the entrance to Parliament. After hours of stand off with the police, Parliament security agreed to get a vehicle to collect the books and take them to the security centre that checks mail.
We are in the process of checking with MPs if they received their copies of the books. So far it looks as if they did. We are in the process of working out our remaining budget to send copies to devolved and regional administrations in the UK.
We apologise for not having updated you meanwhile. We are all volunteers who try our best to be active on top of living with our disablement and we apologise for not being able to do everything as good as we should. We are tremendously grateful for the money that was donated to this and the sacrifices people made.
Links to coverage:
ITV reports on Mum wants answers
DNS report on Disabled activists defy bureaucrats
DNS report on Commons confirms MPs received book
The Canary report on DWP protest at parliament
Big Issue reports on book to MPs
Disability Rights UK report on delivery of book
Disability Rights UK report on activists lobby parliament
Crippen Cartoons 