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Politics
Poltical news from here and abroad
Begg: Jury still out on assessments
A leading disabled MP still has doubts about the effectiveness of the system for assessing people’s fitness for work, as Sunil Peck reports
Minister versus disabled people
It was gloves on for another round at the inaugural conference organised by the newly formed alliance Disability Rights UK and, as Sunil Peck reports, as at any good fight, cuts were very much part of the action
She's back and this time it's personal
When in government, Anne McGuire’s commitment to the disability brief won admiration for her from the community. Now, having been given the brief in opposition, she is, says Sunil Peck, as keen to champion the cause of people she sees as more under threat than ever
Conference Agenda
Reflecting on the Party Conference season, this month we have three different reflections from each of the three main parties
Miliband fails to show the difference
With Government cuts and tabloid rhetoric to oppose, Anoushka Alexander says that disabled people appear to be able to take disappointingly little hope from what Labour leader Ed Miliband has to say on the welfare reform agenda
Cash boost for disabled people's groups
With the economy hurting, small disabled people’s bodies are in pain, especially if they lack the clout to fundraise. But, as Sunil Peck reports, help is at hand
Blind MSP savors baptism of fire
Since his election in May, a new disabled Member of the Scottish Parliament has already made his mark several times on the floor of the chamber. He’s a Scottish Nationalist. Sunil Peck reports
Solidarity against cuts from TUC
Delegates at the TUC’s 2011 disability conference vow to fight the “vicious” and “savage” Government cuts hurting disabled people. Sunil Peck reports
Tory quits in cuts protest
With signs of voter discontent over coalition policies, the Government’s policy on cuts has led one disabled politician to review his position, says Sunil Peck
Building the politics of the future
As Disability LIB’s funding from the Big Lottery ends, Sunil Peck looks at the impact of the organisation that aimed to give disabled people a louder voice
Curran's pick'n'mix on cuts
With disabled people seeing benefit cuts and welfare reform as an attack on life and independence, Sunil Peck suggests to Margaret Curran that the Labour Party is being both selective and equivocal in its opposition
Wanted: a welcome in the vales
The valleys of South Wales are traditionally seen as staunchly strong Labour territory. But Sunil Peck talks to a LibDem who wants to break not only the political mould, but also new ground for Welsh political hopefuls
Begg honoured for services to disabled people
In the Queen’s New Year Honours List, the disabled MP Anne Begg was made a Dame. As Ian Macrae discovers, she sees this as very much a part of her continuing parliamentary journey
Review faults flawed capability assessments
The Harrington review on the much criticised Work Capability Assessment has brought a welcome from the Government, restrained rather than enthusiastic and, says Sunil Peck, mixed responses from elsewhere
Miller hits choppy water on cuts
With the reality of coalition welfare reform plans beginning to hit home, Sunil Peck reports from a Westminster meeting where disabled people weren't the ones feeling besieged
Party time again
Three cities, three parties, three conferences. But, asks each of our three reporters, was there only ever going to be one agenda - the agenda of cuts?
Clegg's hidden agenda conned voters
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's commitment to reforming Disability Living Allowance was noticeably left out from the Lib Dem manifesto, says Anne Wollenberg
Scots toast new pub access law
An amendment to licensing laws passed by the Scottish Parliament will potentially put some of the spontaneity back into a night out. Sunil Peck reports
No winners in access survey
Accessibility to voting for disabled people failed to show any significant improvement at the last general election, with over two thirds of polling stations still inaccessible, according to the findings of a survey by a disability charity
One more in the House
Paul Maynard is the new Conservative MP for Blackpool North and Cleveleys. Speaking hours after being elected, he told Sunil Peck he was “honoured” to have the opportunity to make a “real difference” to people’s lives
Election 2010: They want your vote
In the run-up to the General Election each of the five main political parties has told Disability Now why we, as disabled people, should vote for them
Forty years on
The Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act was the first piece of disability legislation in the world. Looking back to its inception and parliamentary passage, Sunil Peck discovers that it was helped by a large piece of luck and hindered by ministerial hostility and political events
Dropping off the political radar
The new decade began with staggering levels of unemployment. The recession has shaken all sections of society, but its tremors hit young people particularly hard. At the end of 2009 youth unemployment numbers totalled nearly a million. Yet, pre-existing this group is another – one far less visible than its better-known counterpart, but still accounting for a fifth of our population: disabled people. Eugene Grant, a Junior Associate at the think tank Demos says we risk being left out in the political cold
The downside of public office
Following the decision by Iris Robinson to declare her depression, pressure groups say more people in public life should be upfront about their mental health, reports Sunil Peck
Frustration over reform failure
The Government has not yet delivered on a pledge to reform a discretionary system for additional housing allowance. As Sunil Peck reports, this is having a direct impact on personal choice and independent living
Certainty of uncertain future
As the consultation period on the best way to create a fairer and simpler social care system ends, Sunil Peck assesses the impact so far of current proposals on disabled people, some possible future developments and the prevailing mood
Party! Party!! Party!!! Pre-election Conference fever
As collective breath is held and the political world wonders when Gordon Brown will press the go button, our reporters on the conference floor find out just where disabled people figure in the parties’ election plans
Taxi access champion mourned
Fellow peers and others from the disability community joined to mark the passing of the People’s peer who was always known as Nicky
Hope springs eternal on care green paper
Carpe diem is care minister Phil Hope’s rallying cry in defending the social care green paper to Ian Macrae
No fuel payment means a long cold winter
The Government’s refusal to extend Winter Fuel Payments to disabled people means another season of “eat or heat” choices, says Paul Carter
Recession tops TUC agenda
Delegates at the TUC's recent disability conference were warned to beware of employers marking out disabled people for redundancy, reports Sunil Peck
Unity, equality, capacity
A recently formed alliance aims to give disabled people the wherewithal to fight our own battles and campaign for change says Stephen Lee Hodgkins
Obama drops the ball
Disability activist and campaigner Alan Holdsworth, who now lives in the US, is not surprised to see the President lose some of his diversity cred and sheen
Lord Ashley jacks it in
Forty years after setting up a cross-party group to raise the profile of disability issues in parliament, Lord Jack Ashley is stepping down as its chair. Sunil Peck marks his retirement
Not a pretty site
The USA’s new President owes his success partly to the web, say pundits. Julia Gosling and Elinor Grant of digital consultancy Fortune Cookie checked out the UK’s main political websites to see how they compared
Gaining access to the seat of power
A Canterbury councillor’s successful application to access to work brings hope to other disabled would-be local elected members, reports Cathy Reay
Locked out again
User-led groups have been sidelined from vital discussions that could give social workers sweeping powers to invade disabled people’s homes. John Pring reports
Agreeing to disagree
Conservative disability shadow Mark Harper’s disagreements with the government seem to be over delivery rather than policy, says Paul Carter
'I'm on a learning curve'
It’s back to square one for the Liberal Democrats, with their latest disability shadow nine months into his new role
TUC has no taste for blood
The National League of the Blind and Disabled is now part of the trade union community. The League’s general secretary, Gareth Davies, looks back on last month’s Trades Union Congress in Brighton
Disability rights – and lefts
With the US presidential elections just two months away, Dan Lawton describes how disabled people reacted when the Democratic and Republican parties presented their disability policies
If nine become one
As the government tries to bring anti-discrimination law under the one umbrella of the single equality bill, Ian Macrae finds differing degrees of support
Milestones on a long road
Following a speech in the House of Lords in a debate on disability rights, disabled crossbench peer Lord Low of Dalston reflects on one legislative milestone
The wrong rights stuff
Six months ago, the annual report of the Office for Disability Issues made hopeful noises about the UK’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Ian Macrae finds that the real picture is less rosy
Standing up to China
Comedian Francesca Martinez tells Sunil Peck why she accepted the invitation to take part in London’s Olympic torch relay – and then turned it down
The great DLA swindle
Jim Elder-Woodward warns that the government’s social care reforms could mean that disability living allowance is not as safe as we think
Old story, new beginnings
Politicians, charities and job experts came together last month to discuss how to help more disabled people into work. Elizabeth Choppin reports
The bill that Jack built
Lord Ashley says his independent living bill would transform the lives of disabled people. He tells Paul Carter why he is determined to force it onto the statute books
Bigger, broader, better
Radar chief executive Liz Sayce explains why she joined the EHRC’s disability committee and what she’s hoping for from the equality body
Time to get real on rights
Is the government making a reality of our human rights? Rachel Hurst asks if we are in Shangri-La or La-La-Land
Matters of life and birth
Do rights begin with conception? Professor Tom Shakespeare of Newcastle University’s Centre For Life looks at some complex parts of a controversial parliamentary bill
Scotland’s hate crime catch-up
As Disability Now launches its hate crime campaign, James Elder-Woodward says Scotland is still a little off the pace
Queen Babs speaks to the nation
Following a Queen’s Speech somewhat lacking in disability savvy, our own royal personage Barbara Lisicki delivers a radical alternative
Hello Eric, goodbye Blackpool
The Conservatives will be relocating to Birmingham next year. While Blackpool may have proved a success for the party, it’s safe to say that for many others it won’t be missed.