Norwich MP backs government in attack on disabilities
Despite being among some of the most vulnerable in society, disabled people have been unfairly feeling the brunt of the Labour government’s cutting agenda. For many, paid work is only possible because of the help they get from the Personal Independence Payment – but the government has decided to slash it. Around 800,000 people will lose the vital support that keeps them in day-to-day work, in fact over half of those are losing all their PIP.
A government minister said in September that “many sick and disabled people want to work, with the right help and support”, and she’s right. But the government doesn’t seem to want to provide this help. Not only are they cutting the life-saving benefits that these people desperately need – they’re also making it hard for the disabled people who can work to travel there.
Recently the Lib Dems brought a motion to Parliament to let disabled people use their bus passes before 09:30. This is a common-sense change that would scrap a restrictive Tory-era policy which has long since prevented disabled people from getting into work in the first place. And yet, all 282 present voted against it.
Included amongst these was Clive Lewis, the Labour MP for Norwich South. He claims to be fighting disabled people’s cause, and has made speeches to this effect in Parliament – but sadly this didn’t stop him voting with Keir Starmer and against the dignity and freedom that people with disabilities deserve.
The Lib Dems condemn this brazen cruelty. University ward campaigner James Hawketts said:
James Hawketts, Lib Dem University Ward spokesperson
To say that disabled people aren’t pulling their weight, yet deny them the help they need to do so, is entirely counter-intuitive and cruel. All the while, the government refuses to countenance a change to historically low taxes on big banks and huge tech companies. It’s shamefully obvious where Labour’s priorities lie.