Union activists have raised major concerns at the appointment of the ministers who will be responsible for welfare reform in the new coalition government. The government announced this week that the minister for welfare reform would be Lord [David] Freud, who […]
New government gives hope to McKinnon
Lawyers for disabled computer hacker Gary McKinnon have welcomed the new home secretary’s decision to seek more time to consider his case. His legal team had been due in the high court later this month to ask it to rule on […]
Deaf student wins important discrimination victory against university
A deaf student who accused a university of failing to ensure her degree course was accessible to her has secured an important legal victory. Durham University has agreed to pay £25, 000 in compensation to Rosie Watson, who quit her anthropology […]
New centres lead to sharp rise in hate crime reports
A project to set up the first hate crime reporting centres in Wales has seen an immediate sharp increase in reports of offences against people with learning difficulties. Torfaen People First – which is run by people with learning difficulties – […]
ELECTION 2010: Campaigners braced for harsh welfare regime
The Liberal Democrats appear to have backed Conservative welfare reform plans, as part of their agreement to form a coalition government. The appointment of Iain Duncan Smith – the right-wing former Conservative leader – as the new work and pensions secretary […]
ELECTION 2010: Lansley puts little emphasis on social care
Andrew Lansley, the new health secretary, has done little to reassure disabled people that his government will treat social care reform as a priority. The Conservative MP for South Cambridgeshire, who served as the shadow health secretary from 2003 until the […]
ELECTION 2010: Cuts ‘could make mockery of election pledges’
Leading disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) have raised grave concerns about the prospect of major cuts to public services, following the creation of a coalition government led by the Conservatives. As part of the coalition document drawn up by the Conservatives and […]
ELECTION 2010: Lib Dem paper sparks new schools inclusion fears
Inclusive education campaigners have warned that the new coalition government looks set to reverse decades of progress towards the inclusion of disabled children in mainstream schools. The Conservatives caused anger and alarm in their election manifesto when they demanded a “moratorium […]
Watchdog launches probe into football advert
The captain of England’s blind football team has criticised a TV advert that features a blind footballer accidentally kicking a cat. More than 400 people complained to the advertising watchdog about the advert for the Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, which features […]
New Scottish law could boost access to pubs
A new law could force many pubs and clubs in Scotland to provide details of how accessible they are to disabled drinkers. The law would apply to bars applying for new licences as well as existing pubs and clubs applying for […]