Coalition Against the Welfare Reform Bill

Simone Aspis
020 8459 2998 07778569053
 cawrb@welfare-reform.org.uk

24th September 2006

PRESS RELEASE - for immediate use

Disability coalition to lobby Labour Party conference

All Roads lead to Manchester for disabled people as they, their organisations and allies from across the UK gear up for a 'Stroll, Roll and Rally' to lobby the Labour Party Conference on Monday September 25th. The lobby is in opposition to the proposed Welfare Reform Bill. John McDonnell, the high profile Labour MP who recently launched his bid for the Labour leadership, will be in attendance. Speaking alongside him at the rally will be the national officer of the NUS Disabled Students’ Campaign, Alex Kemp, as well as Simone Aspis of the British Council of Disabled People (BCODP) and many others.

The Bill will see disabled people threatened with the loss of benefits and forced into unsuitable work or medical treatments, on top of abolishing housing benefit. The bill fails to address major issues such as incorrect medical assessments and discrimination by employers.

Alex Kemp says: "The NUS Disabled Students' Campaign is very concerned about the Welfare Reforms proposed by New Labour. We know that implementation of these reforms would lead to further abject poverty for disabled people. We know that disabled people will be forced into work that they cannot do and do not want to do. Its about time the government sat up and realised that, as disabled people, we know what is best for us - we are the experts on our own lives''.



Notes for editors
The Welfare Reform Bill is being introduced by John Hutton MP, Secretary of State Work and Pensions, who will be speaking on Monday at the conference on the topic of Prosperity and Work.

Stroll and Roll begins at 3pm from Exchange Square (opposite the Arndale Centre) on Corporation St, through Manchester centre to the Rally

The Rally is at the G-MEX centre on Lower Mosley St (Labour Party Conference location) from 4pm. Speakers include Simone Aspis (BDCOP), John McDonnell MP and Alex Kemp (NUS DS).

A Labour Party Conference fringe meeting, including the official launch of the CAWRB, is being held at 8pm, Chetham Suite, Novatel Hotel, Portland St.

The Coalition Against the Welfare Reform Bill is a wide grouping of many different user led disability groups: it includes the British Council of Disabled People (BCODP) which represents some 80 groups run by disabled people in the UK who between them have a total membership of around 350,000 disabled people. Other affiliates include: National Union of Journalists Disabled Members Council, United Kingdom Advocacy Network, Alliance for Inclusive Education, National Union of Students Disabled Students Campaign (NUS DS), UK Coalition of People Living with HIV and AIDs, the Trade Union Disability Alliance, the Spinal Injuries Association, Disabled Peoples Direct Action Network, National Centre for Independent Living, Developmental Adult Neuro-Diversity Association, Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People and over 20 other groups so far with more joining daily.


For further information, please contact:

Simone Aspis
Tel: 020 8459 2998
Mobile: 07778569053
email  simone@bcodp.org.uk
Steve Blake
Tel: 01362 850130
Mobile: 07910106943
e-mail:  cawrb@welfare-reform.org.uk
John McDonnell MP is also willing to be interviewed on this matter and can be contacted on: 07956 292576

Resources:
www.welfare-reform.org.uk/
www.bcodp.org.uk/campaigns/wrb.shtml
www.dlahelpgroup.com/main/index.php
www.swansheffield.org.uk