MDPAC Statement:
On Wednesday 7th May, Manchester DPAC and our supporters attended the DWP’s ‘consultation’ on the Pathways to Work Green Paper – which proposes slashing disability benefits by over £9bn pounds – at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Manchester.
We were not invited. The organisers made very clear to us they did not want us there. We told them that their consultation was a sham. It was not open to all disabled people who are angry about the cuts, and it was slated to only ask attendees about 10 of the 22 proposals in the green paper – leaving us no say over the cuts that will cost lives in our community.
By turning up to the consultation unannounced, we forced DWP managers to back down on their ridiculous set up. They tried to lock us out, by putting security on the doors and police in the lobby. We got in anyway. They tried to shut us up by saying they couldn’t talk to us now, but would come back later for a ‘separate’ (meaningless) conversation. We just got louder.
Eventually, they agreed that our delegation could join their meeting AND that we could run our own consultation on ALL of the proposed cuts – not the insulting Q&A their politician bosses had sent them to do. We insisted that their staff record the answers of all disabled people – whether from our protest or not – and take these back to their bosses in Westminster. After a heated argument, they agreed. We then spoke to other attendees about how dangerous these cuts are. Unsurprisingly, the other people in the room were as worried and angry as we are.
Our action proved that, working together, we can fight our way to the table. We encourage every DPO to show up to their local consultation and demand entry. We have a right to be in every discussion about our lives. We will happily share our experience with you to help your DPO plan this kind of action.
The government, and their lackeys, want to shut disabled people out from decisions about us. They keep the venues secret. They turn us away at the door. They have the gall to tell us what can and can’t be discussed. We refuse to have the door slammed in our faces. We will continue to disrupt, take over, or shut down every sham PR exercise by this disablist government until a truly co-produced and democratic process is offered to us.
And we reject the cumulative oppression of the Assisted Dying Bill which leaves up prey to euthanasia, The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill which gives DWP powers of arrest and to spy on our bank accounts, the discriminatory Mental Health Bill and the attacks on our Trans members.
In solidarity,
Manchester Disabled People Against Cuts
Manchester Evening News – People will starve because of this
Manchester Disabled People Against Cuts 