“We need to let Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and the rest of them know that we’re not going to back down until they change course on this.”
Kathy Bole, Disability Labour
Labour Outlook’s Sam Browse reports on the Arise Festival and Trade Union Coordinating Group rally bringing together parliamentarians, trade unionists and campaigners against disability cuts. You can also watch the online rally ‘Halt Disability Benefit Cuts Now!’ hosted on June 10 below:
Last night, hundreds joined the ‘Halt Disability Benefit Cuts Now!’ rally, organised by the Trade Union Coordinating Group and Arise Festival.
As the rally Chair, PCS President Martin Cavanagh, set out, the rally comes on the eve of the Government’s Spending Review and as the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, faces increasing pressure to abandon savage cuts to Personal Independence Payments.
The rally featured contributions from a range of speakers – campaigners from DPAC, Disability Labour, the People’s Assembly Against Austerity, Labour Students and the Socialist Health Association; trade unionists from PCS, FBU and BFAWU; and politicians, including John McDonnell, Diane Abbott, Steve Witherden, Neil Duncan Jordan, Brian Leishman, Ian Byrne and Richard Burgon.
DPAC’s Tony O’Reilly highlighted the importance of the unity of the trade union movement and disability campaigners.
He said, “we know these cuts will push thousands of us into poverty and destitution. We also know it will cost lives.”
“We have to challenge these breaches of our human rights. They’re attacking people with invisible disabilities, our young people, people with mental health issues – much needed support that we need as disabled people. It’s inhumane and cruel.”
Kathy Bole from disability Labour emphasised that “people who are disabled are terrified.”
“It is so important that we stand together – activists, trade unions, organisations, the whole nine yards – we have to stand together and tell this Government that we are not going to stand for this anymore, and that we’re going to stand unafraid, together.”
“We need to let Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and the rest of them know that we’re not going to back down until they change course on this.”
Neil Duncan Jordan, the MP for Poole, set out some of the consequences of the cuts, which will “affect over 3 million people; 350,000 people are going to be pushed into poverty including at least 100,000 children, and 150,000 carers.”
He argued that “the proposals that we are being faced with are based on half-truths and smoke and mirrors.” Pointing to the claim that this will save £5bn, he argued that the cut is in reality “at least £6.7bn by the end of the parliamentary term, and more than that: the Government have made no estimate of the additional cost to the NHS… or the economic impact. So the cost of these cuts is way more than £6.7bn”.
The row-back on winter fuel, he continued, “showed that pressure works, and that we need to keep on campaigning. Cuts don’t bring jobs to disabled people; they bring more pain and austerity.”
Diane Abbott pointed out that these cuts were rejected even by George Osborne as going too far and highlighted that the Spending Review, whatever the Labour frontbench say, “is all about austerity.”
“The consequences for people will be cataclysmic. Ordinary people are going to suffer as never before.”
“Only if we say, ‘you’ve got money for defence and weapons, but you haven’t got money for welfare’, only if we make our opposition clear and consistent, can the leadership be defeated.”
FBU General Secretary, Steve Wright, said that “we know that these cuts are the worst on record. This isn’t just about the cost of living; it’s about the cost of survival”.
“We need to understand that this is an attack on our class – the working class.”
Agreeing with Abbott, he said “this is a return to austerity – let’s keep fighting, let’s keep coordinating and make sure we change the narrative, and hold the government’s feet to the fire on these outrageous decisions”.
John McDonnell reminded the rally that “there’s no need for cuts to disability benefits; there’s no need for a two child cap; and there’s no need for anyone to live in poverty – and the way we tackle that is by redistributing wealth and power.”
“What we need is a Labour Government that changes course and no longer accepts that there’s any need for austerity.”
So, as McDonnell said, “let’s make sure the rich pay their taxes… and make the corporations pay their way”, and join the movement to say ‘halt disability cuts now’!
- RALLY: Halt Disability Benefit Cuts Now! was hosted by Arise Festival and the Trade Union Coordinating Group (TUCG) online on 10 June – watch it here or tune in to the Arise Festival podcast.
- You can follow Arise Festival on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, Spotify and YouTube – and see all upcoming events here.
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