Over 100 Disabled People's Mass Lobby of MPs to Resist Benefit Cuts

News
Hours after Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall doubled down on dangerous proposed cuts and other ‘reforms’ to health and disability benefits, Disabled people demanded MPs vote against the brutal plans. 

Organised by the Coalition Against Benefit Cuts, Disabled People Against Cuts, Disability Rights UK, Well Adapt, Inclusion London and SIC, Wednesday’s lobby at the Houses of Parliament was one of the largest the Disabled community has seen in over a decade. Over 100 Disabled people, campaigners and activists waited patiently in the sun, rain and wind to exercise their democratic right to lobby their MP.

It saw attendees travel from Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland to meet with MPs. Many MPs had been avoiding constituents and had not publicly shared their position on the government's plans.

Campaigners pressed around 30 MPs who met with constituents on the day, to vote against the cuts. The appendix below contains a list of all the MPs who did not fulfil their duty to constituents who travelled from far and wide to meet them. We demand that they reach out to us to make things right - and arrange meetings with those who came as soon as possible.

Mikey Erhardt, Campaigner at Disability Rights UK, said: 

"Today's events were very moving. To witness over a hundred Disabled people, brave the UK's inaccessible transport system for the chance to meet with their MP was an amazing act of solidarity and bravery from the Disabled community.  

“We are hugely disappointed that despite patiently waiting, many people did not get a chance to speak to their MP and clarify their concerns about these dangerous proposals. We hope that MPs realise ahead of the June vote that their moral duty lies with them to be an outlet for their constituents' concerns and not to risk Disabled people's lives with reckless cuts.” 

Megan Thomas, Coalition Against Benefit Cuts said: 

“Members of Parliament have been asking to hear from their constituents and yesterday over 100 Disabled people came to Westminster Hall to tell how they are affected by the cuts. Although we had many fantastic conversations with MPs who came to listen to what their constituents had to say, it is unacceptable how meeting requests went ignored. When the Government is pushing through policy which could force over 350,000 Disabled people, including 50,000 children, into poverty and cause 800,000 Disabled people to lose access to the support they need from PIP, without any consultation with the public, it is shameful that when their constituents travel to London to meet them on their doorsteps they still turn them away.  

Disabled people travelled from all over England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and their representatives could not spare ten minutes to listen to what they had to say. Some Disabled people were left waiting for three hours only to be ignored.  

However, we are grateful to all of the MPs who came and spoke to us and spent time listening to their constituents' stories and how they would be affected by the benefit cuts. The proposals will massively increase poverty amongst Disabled people, taking away the PIP people need will make work more difficult to access, whilst saving comparatively little and pushing responsibility for Disabled people's care onto already stretched local authorities, we call on MPs to listen to what their constituents have been telling them and reject these cruel cuts.”  

Linda, Co-Founder Disabled People Against Cuts said: 

“Yesterday's mass lobby demonstrated the massive anger and drive that Disabled people have to get rid of the cuts. It is shameful that some Disabled people travelled from across the UK only to be left ignored, including multiple people from Keir Starmer’s own constituency.  

These savage cuts to Disabled peoples' incomes are unacceptable particularly at a time when an Assisted Suicide Bill is being rushed through parliament. The hypocricy of the government saying these are reforms to help Disabled people into work at the same time they plan to scrap Access to Work funding is astonishing. 

Proposing these cuts in the first place is terrible, not consulting Disabled voters on these cuts is unacceptable, ignoring Disabled voters trying who have travelled across the UK to meet with you about the cuts is insulting to the hundreds of thousands of people who will be hurt and impoverished by these cuts. The Government needs to reforming the system to support Disabled voters and prevent the national disgrace that is benefits deaths, not forcing disabled people into even further poverty.” 

Svetlana Kotova, Director of Campaigns and Justice at Inclusion London said: 

"Yesterday’s event is another manifestation of how concerned and angry Disabled people are about proposed cuts.  It was great to see many MPs prepared to listen; however, considering the harm the proposed reforms will unleash on millions of Disabled people, it is disappointing that many more did not turn up.  We urge MPs to listen to Disabled constituents, reach out to local DPOs, so their votes are truly informed by the experiences of people who voted for them.” 

Georgia Bondy, CEO of Well Adapt said: 

“Yesterday proved that Disabled people are willing to travel 100s of miles to fight this legislation. We are motivated, organised and will not vote for MPs in support of the disability benefit cuts."