“The disability benefit cuts are an attack on our class as a whole, and we need to stand in solidarity against this renewed offensive.”
By Michael Calderbank
With a vote on over £5bn of punitive disability benefits cuts still expected for later this month, disabled campaigners, trade unions, charities, carers’ groups and a growing body of Labour MPs are piling on the pressure for a climbdown.
Rachel Reeves’ forthcoming Spending Review announcement represents a pivotal moment in determining the direction of the Labour Government for the next few years. Unless the Chanceller is prepared to relax her rigid self-imposed fiscal rules, a further round of austerity cuts will be inevitable. The Government’s own impact assessment of Liz Kendall’s welfare reforms suggest that a further 350,000 people will be pushed over the poverty line, while households already experiencing poverty will be disproportionately hit.
Perhaps the Government think that disabled people are a vulnerable group who can’t fight back. But they need only recall the inspiring campaign of direct action fought by Disabled People Against the Cuts, which resulted in the hated ATOS losing the contract for undertaking Work Capability Assessments, to realise they will face a real fight.
Trade unionists also understand that we must not allow the interests of workers to be played off against disabled or chronically sick people who need welfare support. It is untrue to pretend that the Personal Independence Payment is an ‘out of work’ benefit – when in reality it offers vital independence to many disabled workers. Any one of us might find ourselves unable to work in the future, and in those circumstances, will want to be treated fairly and with dignity. Millions of workers have disabled members of our families, or have neighbours and friends who do. The disability benefit cuts are an attack on our class as a whole, and we need to stand in solidarity against this renewed offensive.
This is why national trade unions affiliated to the Trade Union Coordinating Group will be joining forces with Arise for an urgent online rally on the eve of the Spending Review announcement, Tuesday 10th July. FBU General Secretary Steve Wright and BFAWU’s Sarah Woolley will be joined by speakers from DPAC, Disability Labour and MPs from across the country in voicing opposition to the proposals, and demanding Labour changes course. Martin Cavanagh and Angela Grant of the Department for Work and Pensions Group in PCS will bring solidarity from those working on the frontline of the system and understand how devastating these cuts would be.
These cuts aren’t inevitable. By relaxing the ‘fiscal rules’ and bringing forward plans to tax the wealthiest in society, the Government could invest in jobs and services while providing genuine social security for all.
Join us on Tuesday June 10th from 6.30pm to demand Labour ditches the attacks on disabled people.
- You can register for – and find out more about – Tuesday’s rally featuring Ellen Clifford of DPAC, Zarah Sultana MP, Diane Abbott MP, Kathy Bole of Disability Labour and more here.
- Michael Calderbank is the Political Education Officer for Tottenham CLP- you can follow him on Twitter/X.
- This article was originally published by Labour Hub on 5th June 2025.
