the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues
Conservative ministers and MPs have attempted to persuade visitors to their annual conference that the party’s sweeping welfare reforms are helping to support disabled people back into work. Welfare reform minister Lord [David] Freud even bragged at one fringe event that […]
A disabled Conservative campaigner who is battling to save the Independent Living Fund (ILF) has accused her own party of avoiding the “hot potato” issue of social care. ILF-user Mary Laver travelled from her home on the edge of Newcastle-upon-Tyne to […]
A disabled charity boss has described the “uphill battle” she has faced in trying to persuade the NHS to improve its wheelchair services for disabled children. Ruth Owen, chief executive of Whizz-Kidz, told her charity’s fringe meeting at this week’s Conservative […]
A Tory MP has accused independent living equipment providers of “profiteering” by charging “eye-watering” prices, and described his frustration at failing to persuade Asda – a previous employer – to launch a range of cut-price disability aids. Philip Davies told a […]
The Labour leader Ed Miliband has shocked and upset disabled activists within his own party by making a disablist “joke” about being taken away “by the men in white coats”. They said they feared that such a “graphic” image would only […]
Labour leader Ed Miliband has delivered another snub to disabled people, after delivering an hour-long speech to his party’s annual conference without mentioning them once. During his much-criticised speech, Miliband found time to mention young people, older people, businesses, entrepreneurs, charities, […]
Labour’s shadow health secretary has talked again about his vision for a fully integrated health and social care system, but without providing any details of how this would be achieved. Andy Burnham told a receptive audience at the party’s annual conference […]
Two groups of activists helped ensure that the voices of disabled people were heard by MPs and shadow ministers during this week’s Labour party conference. In contrast to previous party conferences, where fringe meetings have usually been dominated by charity lobbyists, […]
A shadow minister has pledged that a Labour government would do more to help disabled people into work, but warned that changes to the system of employment support would have to be “incremental”. Her comments and those of other shadow ministers […]
The Labour party has been told by its own activists that it must do much more to make its own policies and procedures accessible, after a string of access failures at its annual party conference. Disabled party members described problems with […]