Labour has
launched its manifesto with and for disabled people.
The
manifesto was produced following Labour’s Disability Equality Roadshow,
involving extensive consultation with disabled people and their carers across
the country.
Over the
last seven years, disabled people – including people with physical or mental impairments and long-term
health conditions – have borne the brunt of the Conservatives cuts, which has seen
the number of disabled people living in poverty rise to 4.2 million.
Labour will
reverse the cuts to disability support, transform our social security system
from one that demonises disabled people to one that is supportive and enabling,
scrap the punitive sanctions regime and replace ineffective, degrading
assessments. The manifesto sets out Labour’s plan to tackle the barriers facing
disabled people and to build a society in which everyone has the same
opportunities and choices.
Jeremy
Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, said:
“Last night
at the BBC Question Time Leaders’ Special, an audience member gave a harrowing
account of her traumatic and degrading experience undergoing the Work
Capability Assessment. Like many others, I was incredibly moved by the film I,
Daniel Blake, which tells the story of those who have been demonised and
dehumanised by the Conservative’s devastating cuts and a social security system
which punishes, rather than supports, disabled people.
“Labour
will ensure that disabled people and people with mental health conditions have
access to the support they need and will work with disabled people to build an
inclusive society, where no one is held back from fulfilling their potential
and realising their aspirations.”
Launching
the manifesto in Manchester today, Debbie Abrahams, Labour’s Shadow Work and
Pensions Secretary, said:
“We
are proud of the manifesto that we have developed with, and for, disabled
people. For seven long years, disabled people have borne the brunt of the
Conservatives’ austerity cuts and been pushed further into poverty. Our comprehensive and costed policies
set out in this manifesto, will ensure that disabled people are properly
supported to live full and independent lives.
"Enough
is enough, only a Labour government, offering a real alternative, will work in
partnership with disabled people to ensure no one in our society is held
back.”
Notes to editors:
Please find a link to our disability manifesto here: http://www.labour.org.uk/page/-/manifesto-for-disabled-people.PDF
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