Lib Dem conference: Lamb calls for new care tax, but rejects free, needs-led service
The Liberal Democrats have announced plans for a dedicated NHS and social care tax, but have stopped short of following the Green party and Labour in backing a national, free, needs-led system of support. Norman Lamb, the party’s health and care spokesman and a former social care minister in the coalition, told the party’s
‘Fit for work’ suicide man’s sister tried to take her own life after DWP ordeal
The sister of a man driven to suicide by the “fitness for work” system tried to take her own life after being “treated like a criminal” by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over her benefit claims. Eleanor Donnachie believes her brother Paul (pictured) was a victim of DWP’s failure to ensure the
Lib Dem conference: Party picks first Westminster candidate from all-disabled shortlist
The Liberal Democrats have become the first political party to pick a candidate to fight a parliamentary seat from a shortlist containing only disabled people. Former MP Stephen Lloyd, who lost his Eastbourne seat at the 2015 election by just 733 votes, was selected by his party to fight a possible snap general election.
McDonnell promises DPAC ‘a seat at the heart of government’
Disabled activists have been promised a seat “at the heart of government” if Jeremy Corbyn is re-elected as Labour leader and the party wins power at the next election. The pledge was made by shadow chancellor John McDonnell at an international disability rights conference hosted by Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), the final event
Minister ‘misled peers’ over EHRC’s request to run equality helpline
A minister is facing accusations that she misled the House of Lords over the government’s “devastating” decision to allow a security firm with “an appalling history of abuse and mismanagement” to run the national equality advice helpline. The Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) was set up in October 2012 to replace the Equality
Lib Dem conference: Party picks first Westminster candidate from all-disabled shortlist
The Liberal Democrats have become the first political party to pick a candidate to fight a parliamentary seat from a shortlist containing only disabled people. Former MP Stephen Lloyd, who lost his Eastbourne seat at the 2015 election by just 733 votes, was selected by his party to fight a possible snap general election.
Premier League clubs ‘will break access pledge’ despite billion pound transfer spree
Football’s Premier League will break a pledge that all of its stadiums would be accessible to disabled football fans by next August, despite its clubs spending more than a billion pounds on player transfers this summer. The Premier League, the governing body for the top 20 club sides in England and Wales, delivered a
Disability hate crime has fallen since 2007-2010, surprise new figures suggest
Levels of disability hate crime in England and Wales have fallen in the years between 2007 and 2014, figures contained in a new report by the equality watchdog suggest. The publication is the latest in a series of follow-up reports carried out by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in the wake of
Grammar school plans ‘ignore impact on disabled pupils’
The government failed to take any account of the impact on disabled pupils of its “discriminatory” plans to expand grammar schools in England, say campaigners. A government consultation paper published this week, Schools That Work For Everyone, includes plans to remove the ban on opening new grammar schools in England. But there is not
Grammar school plans ‘ignore impact on disabled pupils’
The government failed to take any account of the impact on disabled pupils of its “discriminatory” plans to expand grammar schools in England, say campaigners. A government consultation paper published this week, Schools That Work For Everyone, includes plans to remove the ban on opening new grammar schools in England. But there is not
Nearly one in three staff laid off by HMRC are disabled, says union
Nearly a third of employees who have lost their jobs in an HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) compulsory redundancy programme are disabled people, union officials have revealed. Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) demonstrated against the redundancies outside HMRC’s Reading offices this week. They are angry that out of 79 compulsory
Government ‘could have saved £48 billion on social care’ with full funding of DFGs
The government could have saved nearly £48 billion in social care costs over five years if it had funded all the work needed to make disabled people’s homes more accessible, according to a new user-led campaigning website. The calculations have been made by Fleur Perry, editor of Disability United, a website that aims to
Government agency ‘blocked attempts to expose abuse of bus access loophole’
Some bus companies are taking advantage of a loophole that means they can avoid their legal obligations to ensure their buses are accessible to disabled people, the industry’s own trade association has admitted. The admission from the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT) came despite repeated efforts from a government agency to block attempts
