Lib Dem conference: ‘Charities have failed and must now allow service-users to be heard’
A former care services minister has called for a new social movement that is driven by the views and voices of service-users – rather than the charities that try to speak on their behalf – to push for change in the social care sector. Paul Burstow said that the current campaigning model, driven by charities,
Disgraced PIP assessor escapes being struck off
A disgraced former disability assessor and paramedic has avoided being struck off, despite a tribunal concluding that he made offensive remarks about disabled benefit claimants. Alan Barham was sacked by the government outsourcing giant Capita last year after being exposed by an undercover reporter working for Channel 4’s Dispatches. He later contacted Disability News Service
Summit meeting will aim to bring movement together on independent living
Activists are hoping that a national disabled people’s “summit” will bring disabled people, their organisations and unions together to fight back against the repeated attacks on their right to independent living. Plans for the day-long summit were launched at a fringe meeting at the annual TUC Congress in Brighton this week. Mandy Hudson, who represents
Summit meeting will aim to bring movement together on independent living
Activists are hoping that a national disabled people’s “summit” will bring disabled people, their organisations and unions together to fight back against the repeated attacks on their right to independent living. Plans for the day-long summit were launched at a fringe meeting at the annual TUC Congress in Brighton this week. Mandy Hudson, who represents
Lib Dem conference: Party votes to bring UN disability convention into UK law
The Liberal Democrats have voted to incorporate the UN disability convention into UK law. Party members overwhelmingly passed an emergency motion that noted how the UK government was accused last month by a UN committee of causing a “human catastrophe” by cutting disabled people’s support. David Buxton, the Deaf party activist who proposed the motion,
Lib Dem conference: Disabled MP promises to ‘harry’ and ‘shame’ ministers
A disabled Liberal Democrat MP has promised to “harry” and “shame” the government in parliament over its “shameful” record on disability rights. Stephen Lloyd, the party’s shadow work and pensions secretary, told Disability News Service (DNS) that he would use his own 25-year commitment to the social model – and his in-depth knowledge of work
Some television companies say just one per cent of staff are disabled, says Ofcom
As few as one per cent of the employees working for some UK broadcasters have described themselves as disabled people, according to new research by the industry regulator. Ofcom’s Diversity And Equal Opportunities In Television report says disabled people appear to be “significantly under-represented” across the television industry, at just three per cent. The Ofcom
Modern slavery sentencing again exposes hate crime failings
The failure of the criminal justice system to recognise and punish disability hate crime has been highlighted yet again, after nine members of the same family were jailed for modern slavery and fraud offences spanning more than 25 years. Members of the Rooney family received sentences of up to 16 years after Nottingham Crown Court
Ministers ‘failed to consider impact of rules that would cut university access’
Ministers have effectively admitted introducing a policy that will prevent many disabled students from entering higher education, without knowing how much money it would save or how many young disabled people would be affected. The admission came in response to a freedom of information (FoI) request that sought to clarify the potential impact of the
Ministers ‘failed to consider impact of rules that would cut university access’
Ministers have effectively admitted introducing a policy that will prevent many disabled students from entering higher education, without knowing how much money it would save or how many young disabled people would be affected. The admission came in response to a freedom of information (FoI) request that sought to clarify the potential impact of the
Labour MP told to quit influential post after ‘offensive’ minimum wage call
Disabled activists have called for a Labour MP to resign as chair of the Commons work and pensions select committee, after he called for employers to be allowed to pay some disabled people less than the minimum wage. Frank Field (pictured) made the call in a new collection of essays on employment and disabled people,
Disabled people face ‘unacceptable barriers’, and government must do more, say MPs
The barriers disabled people face in navigating the built environment are an “unacceptable” attack on their quality of life and right to equality, according to a committee of MPs. The report on disability and the built environment, by the Commons women and equalities committee, calls on the government to take a more visible lead in
Motability’s tyre policy ‘risks safety of customers’
The Motability car scheme has been accused of risking the safety of its disabled customers, by refusing to replace their tyres until they are only just above the legal minimum tread depth. Disabled campaigner Ian Jones, one of the founders of the WOW petition, said that the position of Motability Operations contradicts the advice of
