D.A.N.
Disabled People's
Direct Action Network:

DEMONSTRATION OF DISABLED PEOPLE
AGAINST THE NEW BENEFIT PROPOSALS

MONDAY 16TH JULY 2001
MEET AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY 12 NOON

The government is once again attacking disabled people forcing yet another layer of bureaucracy on us. It is also accusing disabled people in receipt of benefit of stealing 7billion from the treasury. We challenge Alistair Darling to say what he would do with the 5billion he proposes to save.

DAN is calling for an end to this old style bashing of the most vulnerable and socially excluded in our society and wants the government to open up real dialogue with the movement about how to remove the real barriers to work for disabled people.


THE REAL BARRIERS

END CHARGING
Charging working disabled people for services that put them on a level playing field creates inequality in the workplace acting as a disincentive to work.

NO POST CODE SERVICE
Disabled people are prevented from moving to another area to find work because they have to be reassessed all over again by a new Local Authority. This can take years before they can construct a care package that supports them in employment. The government could save money and time if disabled people could move their care packages from on local authority to another.

NO MEANS TESTED BENEFITS
Benefits are supposed to meet the extra costs of being a disabled person in a society that doesn't fully address their right to participate. By means testing these benefits the governments provides a poverty trap, which for some people is too deep to get out.

ASSESS SOCIETY NOT US
The government should make a commitment to assess its progress in making society inclusive to disabled people rather that blaming and reassessing us. We call for a national audit on progress made. Given the national shortage of doctors in the National Health Service why waste Doctors time in this fruitless, uneconomic, resource draining assessment.

Telephone Cassie or Johnny on 0121 247 4424 or e'mail us  3rpeople@tinyonline.co.uk

England & Wales Green Party

News Release

16 July 2001: immediate

DIRECT ACTION - PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

1300, Monday 16 July

near Westminster Abbey


FAO NEWS, HOME AFFAIRS, POLITICAL , COMMENT EDITORS


Government attacks disabled people - protest today

The Green Party expresses its support for disabled activists protesting today against a government attack on disabled people’s benefit rights.

Simone Aspis, Green Party Disability Spokesperson, will join dozens of activists from Disabled People’s Direct Action Network (DAN) and the British Council of Disabled People (BCODP) in the protest in

Westminster.

A long-standing disability rights campaigner and recent Green Party parliamentary candidate, Simone Aspis comments: "This Government seems to think that if disabled people lose their basic income they’ll magically find meaningful work.

"In reality, 70% of disabled people are unemployed, and we face greater barriers to employment than most people.

"There is no evidence that disabled people are likely to defraud the benefits system, so why should we have to be re-tested every three years?"

The Green Party wants to replace all means-tested benefits with a streamlined Citizens’ Income scheme which would allow disabled people (and others) to do paid or unpaid work either on a full- or part-time basis without losing their basic income. Ms Aspis adds: "We don’t take away Child Benefit or Old Age Pension to encourage parents or older people to find work, so why are we taking away disabled people’s right to a regular income?

"Over 70% of disabled people are unemployed, and this figure will not suddenly fall because disabled people lose their incapacity benefits.

"This government needs to do more to ensure that disabled people can find work, by outlawing all forms of disability discrimination and legislating for our right to have the same opportunities as non-disabled people."

DAN is calling for a basic disability income for all disabled people, regardless of their earnings or savings, and the end to the perception or portrayal of disabled people as scroungers on the welfare state. Green Party Economics Spokesperson Dr Molly Scott-Cato comments: "A humane society would provide for the basic needs of all its citizens, regardless.

"The Green Party supports this demand by disabled people as a step which the government should take right now, as a priority, towards a Citizens’ Income for all."

* * *


Simone Aspis, who is believed to be the first national spokesperson of a major

UK political party to have been diagnosed at school as having learning difficulties

as well as physical disability, will be available for interview at the protest.


Further information from Simone Aspis, Green Party Disability Spokesperson: pager 076 234 90658, home 020 8459 5717.


Spencer Fitz-Gibbon, Green Party press office:

0161 225 4863.


Information on Green Party disability and Citizens’ Income

policies: www.greenparty.org.uk/policy

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

DISABLED PEOPLE CHALLENGE THE GOVERNMENT ON NEW BENEFIT PROPOSALS

MEET WESTMINSTER ABBEY

12 NOON MONDAY16TH July

ACTION 1PM.

For more information telephone :-

0121 247 4424 Sat or 0208 889 1361 Sun

or 0793 033 7863 any time.



Disabled people from al over the country are coming to London to challenge the government's proposals on benefits.

A simultaneous action is also planned in Manchester.

They are outraged that the government whilst failing to tackle the real reasons that disabled people are %70 unemployed are proposing to cut benefits. They have explained the stick in detail but when are they going to tackle the real barriers disabled people face in gaining employment and equality?.



Disabled people will crawl to Westminster to demonstrate the government's commitment to ensuring that the poor and vulnerable are targeted and stereotyped as scroungers and useless.

DAN the disabled people's Direct Action Network call on the government to:-

End charging policies for personal care services.

Allow disabled people to take their care package from one Local Authority to another.

Stop means testing benefits that get us to a level playing field

And if they need to assess someone assess them selves on their own performance in removing the real barriers to employment.



Last time these proposals happened DAN threw red paint at Downing Street and the government backed off 4 years later with all the time to consult with us fully we are getting the same old policies rehashed. The government can expect a similar high profile demonstration on Monday.

The photo on indy media site is of an upset looking disabled woman who crawled under the gates into the grounds of parliament. She is clinging onto the inside of the gate. Gate and woman are covered in the red paint which some disabled people hurled. In the background you can see five policemen and the feet of another disabled man who had crawled under.

these addresses are from the site youreable.com - not a favourite site of mine but they have done a good article and pictures of this demonstration.


article here  http://www.youreable.com/TwoShare/getPage/01News/01Current/20-07-2001/Police%20clash%20with%20protestors%20over%20ICB%20proposals


pictures here:
 http://www.youreable.com/TwoShare/getPage/01News/01Current/20-07-2001/getPage?id=-6177457409973439611&mode=3

 http://www.johnnypops.demon.co.uk/poetry/dan/new_bene_props001_gallery.htm