The coalition has received some backing from disabled people’s and disability organisations for its proposed special educational needs (SEN) reforms, but has been warned that key concerns remain over its funding for segregated schools. Support for the reforms, which will be […]
Activist secures high-profile backers for electoral assault on Corby
A disabled activist set to fight next month’s by-election in Corby has become the first candidate to be backed by a new political movement that wants to see non-career politicians elected to parliament. Adam Lotun has become a leading figure in […]
Conservative conference: Alarm as Osborne announces new £10bn welfare cuts
The chancellor has sparked an angry reaction after pledging to make another £10 billion worth of benefit cuts in the first year after the next general election. George Osborne made the promise – later backed by work and pensions secretary Iain […]
Councils admit ILF closure could force reliance on families and charities
Local authorities have admitted that government plans to close the Independent Living Fund (ILF) in 2015 will probably see a cut to the support received by most of its users, with some forced to rely on relatives or charities. Plans to […]
Conservative conference: Cameron criticised for using disabled relatives in speech
David Cameron has been heavily criticised for appearing to use his disabled son and father in his main party conference speech in a bid to justify cuts to disability benefits. Cameron spent part of his speech to the annual Conservative party […]
Conservative conference: McVey creates impression by listening, not ignoring
The new minister for disabled people has laid out three ways in which she hopes to support more disabled people into employment, less than a month into her new job. In one of her first appearances as a minister, the Conservative […]
Conservative conference: Hunt hints at more delays on care funding
The new health secretary has suggested there could be further delays to reform of the funding of long-term care and support. Speaking at the annual Conservative party conference in Birmingham this week, Jeremy Hunt said he wanted to transform care for […]
Conservative conference: Charity sets trio of activists loose on party conferences
A disability charity has supported and sponsored a trio of disabled activists to take their campaigning work to the three main party conferences. The three activists – Kaliya Franklin, Pat Onions and Carlene Evans – have all been campaigning on their […]
Tribunal win could plug legal gap for disabled agency workers
A disabled woman sacked by a council from her temporary post after taking time off with depression has won an employment tribunal case – after a three-year legal battle – that should help other agency workers fight discrimination. Camden council in […]
Conservative conference: Osborne’s speech risks ‘collateral damage’, says Tory
A disabled Conservative parliamentary candidate has admitted that comments by George Osborne in a speech to his party conference risked causing “collateral damage” to disabled benefits claimants. Osborne, the chancellor, caused alarm and anger when he talked about the unfairness of […]