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 […]
New EHRC chair faces tough task to repair watchdog’s ‘damaged house’
The government’s choice to be the new chair of the equality watchdog faces a tough task to repair an organisation that is damaged almost beyond repair, according to the former chair of the Disability Rights Commission (DRC). The government announced this […]
Motability is ‘treating disabled people like criminals’ by fitting trackers
Motability has been accused of treating disabled people like criminals, after it began fixing tracking devices to their cars. The organisation says it has introduced the new measure in a bid to detect “misuse” of its disabled people’s car scheme. All […]
Labour conference: Miliband’s welfare reference ‘was clumsy not offensive’
The Labour leader has again used his main conference speech – for the second year running – to suggest that many disabled benefits claimants were choosing a life on welfare rather than finding jobs. Ed Miliband’s speech, in which he described […]
Labour conference: McGuire attacks ‘reprehensible’ failure to assess cuts impact
Labour’s shadow minister for disabled people has attacked the government’s “reprehensible” failure to carry out an assessment of the overall impact of its cuts and reforms on disabled people. Anne McGuire said the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had “refused […]
Labour conference: Mystery over Burnham’s social care integration plans
A Labour government would move to “integrate” social care with the NHS, the shadow health secretary has told the party’s annual conference. Andy Burnham told delegates in Manchester that he wanted an end to the current three “separate, fragmented” systems for […]
Labour conference: Party ‘must move away from toxic fitness for work policy’
A leading disabled activist has called on the Labour leadership to move away from its “toxic” position on the “fitness for work” test and instead develop policies that support sick and disabled people into work. The work capability assessment (WCA) was […]
Labour conference: Party will move ‘towards’ fully inclusive education system
A Labour government would aim to move – in the long term – towards an education system that is “fully inclusive” of disabled children according to the MP who has led its review into special educational needs (SEN). Sharon Hodgson told […]
COMMENT: Restricting disabled people to the fringes of the fringe
It wasn’t a shock that the Care and Support Alliance decided not to include my tweet on the large screen behind the speakers at their fringe event in Brighton. After all, the tweet read: “At Lib Dem conference. Looks like yet […]
Former DWP medical boss makes WCA pledge to protesters
A former Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) medical director has pledged to speak out about the government’s “fitness for work” test if he finds it is “not proper”, after he was ambushed by campaigners at a conference. Professor Sir Mansel […]