The government’s refusal to introduce a national system to administer applications for blue parking badges is to blame for lengthy delays and backlogs across the country, according to a leading disabled motoring expert. Last month, retired Paralympian Steve Varden described the […]
News Archive
UN debate will be reminder of true inclusive education
A high-profile day of debate will be a chance to remind the United Nations – and the UK government – what disabled people mean by “inclusive education”, say campaigners. The UN’s committee on the rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD) has […]
IDS breaks pledge on PIP waiting-times, as tens of thousands still queue for months
Government ministers have broken their high-profile promise to slash all waiting-times for the new disability benefit to less than four months. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) refused to comment yesterday (Thursday) on the broken promise that – by the […]
Miliband causes chaos with answer on ILF closure
Labour leader Ed Miliband caused chaos this week after he was asked if he would save the Independent Living Fund (ILF) if Labour won power at May’s general election. Miliband told the audience that the government “should not be getting rid […]
Ministers change the story – yet again – on benefit-related deaths
Ministers have admitted releasing yet more inaccurate information about their secret inquiries into the deaths of benefit claimants. Last year, the Department for Work and Pensions stated, in a Freedom of Information Act (FoI) response, that it did not hold any […]
Activists claim Lib Dem’s suicide pledge is ‘deadly discrimination’
The Liberal Democrats have been accused of “deadly discrimination”, after they failed to pledge that their new target of “zero suicides in the NHS” would also apply to terminally-ill people. Disabled activists campaigning against the legalisation of assisted suicide were initially […]
Tories and Labour flunk office access test
Four of the seven leading political parties have backed calls for all MPs to have constituency offices that are accessible to disabled people. Despite public announcements professing support for making it easier for disabled people to participate in politics, the Conservatives […]
Lib Dems silent on assisted dying bill, despite goal of ‘zero suicide NHS’
The Liberal Democrats have refused to say whether setting a new “ambition” for “zero suicides” in the NHS would be compatible with proposed laws that would legalise assisted suicide. Nick Clegg, the party leader and deputy prime minister, said at this […]
Artists’ banners were 800 years in the making
Three disabled artists this week played a central role in an event held to celebrate the 750th birthday of the UK’s first parliament. Six huge banners designed by the three artists joined 12 other banners in an exhibition in Westminster Hall, […]
Evidence mounts in case against government’s sanctions regime
Disturbing fresh evidence emerged this week that the government’s strict sanctions regime is harming the health and well-being of many out-of-work sick and disabled people. A series of media reports and research publications, as well as an evidence session before MPs, […]