UN urged to act after Conservative government dismisses report on disability
Campaigners including This Writer have sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon, calling for action over the UK government’s disgraceful treatment of people with illnesses and disabilities.
Thanks to the efforts of our Tory-supporting media, most people in the UK don’t even know the United Nations has found the government guilty of systematically violating the rights of people with disabilities.
As one of the signatories of this letter, I’m surprised the Herald has published this story – it wasn’t due for release until the middle of the week.
So you should perhaps consider this a taste of things to come, and I would certainly appreciate it if everybody reading this could share it with as many friends and associates as possible.
Clearly we cannot rely on the mainstream press to report on this matter, even though it is one of the worst disgraces the United Kingdom’s government has ever committed – a national disgrace.
Spread the word and shame the Tories.
Campaigners are urging the United Nations to condemn the UK Government’s “unacceptable” dismissal of criticism over the impact of its welfare policies on disabled people.
Its report, published last week, found austerity policies had led to “systematic violations” of the rights of people with disabilities, with changes to benefits disproportionately affecting this group.
But in response, UK Work and Pensions Secretary Damian Green said it demonstrated an “outdated view of disability which is patronising and offensive.”
Now campaigners are writing to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon asking him to “censure” the UK Government for its “unacceptable behaviour” in trying to discredit the report.
The letter, which will be submitted early this week, has been backed by more than 50 signatories including Paul Laverty, scriptwriter of “I, Daniel Blake”, several SNP MPs and disability and poverty campaigners.
John McArdle, co-founder of the Scottish disability rights group Black Triangle, said the report stood to be “totally disregarded” by the UK Government.
He said: “The Government have rejected all of their recommendations out of hand.
“But it is now on the international record that the UK is the first country in the world to be found to have met the standard for committing grave or systemic violations of the fundamental rights of disabled people.”
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Another shameful act by this government.
Yes,but what can they actually do to change these policies? Does the U.N. Have any teeth on this? Shaming the tories wont work,as they obviously have none!
I sincerely hope with all my heart that they do something. What they, Tories, are a Murdering by Sanctions DEMOCIDE
Damian Greens view is patronising and offensive.
If only the Labour right wing would put as much effort into fighting on behalf of the British disabled as they do stabbing Jeremy Corbyn in the back, we would have had the Tories kicked into shape by now or disgraced and shamed at least. Sadly, too many of the right wingers have much better things to do with their time, I will of course remind them in 2020 when they come knocking on my door wanting my vote.
Wouldn’t it be better to join the Labour Party (if you haven’t already) and have your local right-winger removed from the list of possible candidates at the next election – so you won’t have to put up with them knocking on your door?
And it will STILL be ignored – this lot HATE the weak and vulnerable, and have absolutely no qualms about killing us off (they already have in the thousands, and still counting). Despite the UN’s condemnation of the UK government’s treatment of sick/disabled people, it remains to be seen whether they can step in and help us, but to be honest, I don’t hold out much hope, since the last time they sent someone to investigate wrong-doing, the press just launched a full-scale attack on her – and the brainwashed masses subsequently ignored everything she had to say. We are witnessing the systematic removal of our human rights in this country, and nobody seems to be doing a thing to stop it!
Like talking to the wall
So Damian Green’s opinion and disgraceful treatment of people dependent on a fair and efficient DWP carries more weight than the UN! I think not and I am sure that the majority of decent people will agree with the UN
No surprises there then. I have no faith in UN reports, what is their purpose? All they do is confirm what we already know – because we are the sufferers! They are toothless, and do not appear to have any influence in bringing this government to task.
A point in fact, what ever happened to Rolnik’s UN report on the “Bedroom Tax’? Nothing changes!
What happened to a couple of UN ‘inquiries’ regarding Iain Duncan Smith’s handling of cuts in benefits etc? Nothing changes!
It is all a farce, just to shut us up, whilst bringing in more and more inhumane acts of discrimination in need of special care, support, or protection because of age, disability, or risk of abuse or neglect. Nothing changes!
We know this already but we seem to somehow be stuck with an unelected PM for the next four years, a press which ignores injustice and a police force which suppresses even peaceful demonstration.
These Evil cretins of the nasty tory party makes me wonder how would they treat members of THIER own family who are disabled? Would they put them in a cellars and when or if they died would they do the same as camerun, the worst PM of the British Isles ever and cowardly insult his own disabled son in a way that was seen as a disgrace of the dead, his son.
Do your job Europe demand action….
Europe?
No matter what you read we are still in Europe.
And what does that have to do with a matter between the United Kingdom and the United Nations?
Un will report to Europe any mater inside the European union while we are still members.. That’s why.
Under what rule or agreement?
Once again the press just accept what ever is put in front of them without question or challenge reinforcing that the press is another branch of Government public relations….. the papers are no longer interested in the real news they are just propoganda sheets which people have the pleasure of paying for reading lies.
Every single Tory MP are a disgrace to humanity . Evil and loath fully corrupt and bereft of morals
Why is the Labour Party not bring questions to PM question on Wednesday ?
It’s possible that will happen this Wednesday. It couldn’t happen last Wednesday because Parliament was not sitting.
Note the report was published on the eve of the US elections, and in a week with no PMQs. Nasty, seedy attempt to cover it up and bury it.
Just one of the abuses served upon disabled people by our government today, is involved with the old access to the law. Access to the law regarding abuses of all kinds for people on a limited budget, which includes many disabled people, has in recent years, been barred by ending Legal Aid; and replacing it with nothing; no money = no access to law regardless of abusive people in so-called ‘caring’ professions.
Paying for care in Cornwall, has been another way to abuse disabled people. Local government here have, in the past two years, taken from my profoundly disabled daughter, her legal rights to set against her care charges, certain associated expenditure; and have gone through all her expenses to a level of audit for two years running. Phoning hotel for confirmation of stay etc. and supporters required; reducing her needs to a very low level by reducing the quality of items necessary to her comfort/needs. Her health care here has been reduced to two lots of 6 months waiting in pain for teeth to be pulled. A mouth full of decayed teeth and infections found on operation; two large balls of wax in her ears due to doctors not listening to me perhaps they have wax in their ears! (There are many more stories like that and worse in her years of ‘care’ – filled with abusive people she does not realize – thank goodness – have abused her outrageously).
It goes against their principles to help those whom they see to be ‘unproductive’. There apparently is no learning to be had; no pleasure to be gained from disabled people; they are apparently the lowest of the low, living off other people’s ‘hard earned taxes’ The disgusting and grasping Conservatives (and all their supporters?) are capitalists after all! Money is the only benefit worth striving for; just look around you today at the young who really feel their lives are hard!(?). They really don’t know they are alive do they?!!
There are many, many young people of excellent character who do a lot of work to help those less fortunate than themselves. It is a shame you criticised them at the end of your informative comment and I can only suspect that it was the product of extreme frustration at your daughter’s treatment by people who should know – and do – better.
It’s good to see the disgusting behaviour toward the disabled people being fought for at this level. But…would the PEOPLE’S Government be held accountable! By us, the people, it seems beyond accountability!
I’m fed up with people in the UK (and elsewhere) with the surname Green, including as a pseudonym. Damian dit is just another. What’s ‘offensive and patronising’ about telling the truth of the matter? Dismissing it out of hand better qualifies for that description.