The authorities’ failure to protect the family of Fiona Pilkington from a ten-year hate crime campaign was “a staggering betrayal of trust”, according to disabled campaigners. An inquest jury found that Pilkington committed suicide and unlawfully killed her 18-year-old daughter, Francecca, […]
News Archive
Police watchdog will investigate whether force failed on hate crime
The independent police watchdog is to investigate Leicestershire police’s failure to treat the ten-year campaign of abuse and harassment against Fiona Pilkington and her disabled children as disability hate crime. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has also launched an […]
Disabled children call on politicians to promise action on their rights
Young campaigners have called on all political parties to make specific commitments in their manifestos around disabled children’s right to independent living. The challenge was issued in a Disabled Children’s Manifesto for Change, drawn up by some of the UK’s 770,000 […]
Campaigners criticise ‘disablist’ coverage of Brown’s health
Disability rights campaigners have condemned widespread speculation around the health of the prime minister, Gordon Brown. A string of journalists have commented on rumours about the prime minister’s visual impairment, suggesting his eyesight may be deteriorating and hinting that he would […]
Call for action on access to London public transport
Disabled people must do more to campaign for better access to London’s transport network according to a leading activist. Faryal Velmi, director of the accessible transport charity Transport for All, told the Disability Capital event that disabled people should be inspired […]
London 2012 ‘provides unique chance to improve access in capital’
The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London provide a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to improve access, inclusion and attitudes to disability, a conference has heard. David Morris, who coordinates inclusion and access for LOCOG, the organising committee of the […]
Family suffered years of abuse before car fire deaths
A mother killed herself and her disabled daughter after her family were the victims of years of disablist abuse and harassment, an inquest has heard. Fiona Pilkington drove to a layby in Leicestershire in October 2007 and set fire to her […]
Lib Dem peer to demand access support for councillors
A disabled Liberal Democrat peer is to ask parliament to extend the access to work (ATW) scheme – which helps fund access adjustments in the workplace – to disabled councillors. The move would make it easier for disabled people who face […]
Government’s strict work test ‘forces disabled people onto JSA’
Too many disabled people are being denied out-of-work disability benefits and forced instead onto the less generous jobseeker’s allowance (JSA), following the introduction of a tough new “work capability” test, campaigners have warned. They fear that an unexpectedly large proportion of […]
Assisted suicide guidance sends out ‘disturbing signals’
Campaigners say new guidance that clarifies the law on assisted suicide sends out “disturbing” signals about how disabled people are viewed. The interim guidance for England, Wales and Northern Ireland lists the factors to be considered in deciding whether to prosecute […]