Disabled people protest over cuts

By Paul Carter with the Conservatives in Birmingham

Disabled people have taken to the streets of Birmingham during the Conservative Party conference as part of a wider protest against cuts to benefits and public spending.

Police estimate that between 5,000 to 7,000 people took part in the 1.6 mile march through the city, amid a huge police presence.

Disabled people led the march, under the banner of the newly formed organisation Disabled People Against Cuts.

Sam Brackenbury, who took part in the protest, said he felt that it was important that disabled people came together due to the seriousness of the impact of any proposed cuts to welfare budgets.

“They might not realise it, but this [the cuts process] is going to kill people. Plain and simple. Let’s not mince words about this,” he said.

“People stood together today because they are worried.”

He said that disabled people needed to take a united position, and begin by making their voices heard at grass roots level.

“It’s not so much about winning or losing, it’s about community. Helping the disabled community, getting the community out there. Realising that if you want to make a difference in your house, it doesn’t start in the House of Commons, it starts in your street, or with your next door neighbour.”

“As far as I‘m concerned, my way of looking at disability issues is this. I’ll pray for the dead. I’ll always give them the respect they deserve. But I’ll fight like hell for the living.”

Pete Millington, who was also on the march, said that there was a sense that such protests could become more regular if government reforms continued to target disabled people.

“I’ve observed a lot of DAN protests over the years, and I think that passion that existed, especially in the late 90s was good, but I think this is something potentially wider than that,” he said.

“In the last 10 years, things like Facebook and email – the whole social networking thing that I’ve observed in the last two weeks leading up to this event today have been very interesting. I think all of that potentially brings new people in.”