A string of disability-related petitions are among the hundreds lodged on a government website in its first few days. The idea of the e-petitions website is to provide an “easy” way to “influence government policy”, with petitions securing more than 100, […]
News Archive
Atos forced to investigate after employee’s ‘parasites’ comment on website
Two employees of the company that carries out the controversial “fitness for work” tests for the government have been caught making offensive comments about their disabled customers on a social networking website. Atos Healthcare, the company that conducts the work capability […]
Plans for ‘free’ special schools are a ‘major backwards step’
Teachers and parents want to open four new special schools in just one English county, as part of the government’s controversial “free schools” programme, causing huge concern among campaigners for inclusive education. Three of the groups have discussed their plans to […]
New recruits will boost service-user army of inspectors
More disabled and older people will be paid to play a vital role in inspections of social care and health services, thanks to three new partnerships. The Care Quality Commission (CQC), which regulates health and adult social care in England, this […]
Self-advocates break new ground with internet broadcast
Disabled activists have used a ground-breaking internet broadcast to call on self-advocacy organisations to return to their campaigning roots and fight for their local communities. They want groups to take part in a series of lunchtime civil rights protests across the […]
Mayor takes Liberty with demand for money from hard-up charities
Disability charities already facing the fall-out from the government’s spending squeeze were asked by London’s mayor to bid thousands of pounds for the right to use one of two stalls at the capital’s annual disability arts festival. One charity, Disability Law […]
Council cuts research paints troubling picture
Scores of disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) and other disability charities across England have had their council funding cut or removed completely this year, according to new research. Including DPOs, more than 150 disability charities have had their funding reduced, as well […]
Liberty announces line-up for its South Bank debut
This year’s Liberty disability arts festival will feature disabled stars of music dance, comedy and street theatre, and circus and aerial displays. Highlights of the free festival include a performance by Deaf Men Dancing, a film on 60 years of disability […]
BBC apologises for Top Gear’s parking bay gaff
The BBC has apologised “unreservedly” after presenters on the popular motoring show Top Gear were filmed parking in two accessible parking bays. The episode aired this week (31 July) on BBC2 and featured presenters Jeremy Clarkson and James May test-driving two […]
Unlimited art will have international flavour
International collaborations are again at the heart of the third and final round of disability arts projects commissioned for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. The 12 new commissions will share £700, 000 funding from the £3 million Unlimited programme, which celebrates […]