the Tories dehumanisation of disabled people

The Canary is excited to share the latest edition of our letters page. This is where we publish people’s responses to the news and politics, or anything else they want to get off their chest. We’ve now opened the letters page up so anyone can submit a contribution. As always, if you’d like to subscribe to the Canary – starting from £2 a month – to support truly radical and independent media, then you can do that here:

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This week’s letters

This week we have people’s thoughts on the Tory government’s dehumanisation of disabled people, why one reader voted Green, and a new initiative from the Social Workers Union. 

Dehumanisation of disabled people in UK by Rishi Sunak’s government

Dear Rishi:

I wish to address how as a person with severe mental health issues and disability issues I like millions of disabled people will not be voting for the Conservative party under Rishi Sunak in either the local elections or the General Election.

We are people, who happen to have physical and mental problems due to circumstances beyond our control, we are people. We are not Workshy, Chancers, or any other dehumanising words you carelessly like to assign to us. We are people and we deserve the right to have our humanity recognised and not be treated with such distain and contempt by Rishi Sunak or anyone else.

In 2019 the people voted in Boris Johnson government on a manifesto set out at the time and now in 2024 we have a Rishi Sunak government pushing through policies which were never put to the public in the form of a manifesto or an election, policies which demonise, dehumanise and humiliate people who are disabled both physically and mentally. We are humans, we are people, when are you going to understand this? How dare you treat us as criminals. How dare you mock us. How dare you attack us. How dare you demonise us. How dare you dehumanise us.

Many are now living in fear of what is to come and many will ultimately take the route of suicide. Every death from these barbaric policies inflicted upon disabled people will be a stain on the souls of those who support them and those who do not challenge them. Every death will be on you. We are human beings stop using us as a political football to appease hard right potential voters and members of your own party.

We are also millions of voters who are disabled and those who care for us such as friends and families who are also millions of voters. Go ahead with these dehumanising policies and tactics and come to know the righteous anger and political wrath of millions of voters who will gladly help see you Rishi Sunak and your government out of the door and lost deep within the political wasteland for a generation.

The reason why issues concerning mental health and disability including NHS waiting lists is not because of Disabled people and any other marginalised group he wishes to blame for his own failings but it is because of 14 years of cuts by the government of the day, the withdrawal of services and structures needed to help people in society. Maybe Mr Sunak should consider his and his governments policies that have systematically ripped apart the UK and brought it to its knees is down to him and his government and its forbearers of the last 14 years.

A word to Rishi if you insist on attacking us and using us as a political football in order to appease the far right elements of your party then expect millions of disabled voters and their allies to fight back. If you want a war then please tell us where to bury your government’s body because we will fight back and bury your government.

Yours,

One of millions of disabled voters and their allies.

Anonymous, via email

ED: thank you for this. If you want to fight back, the Canary would urge you to support groups like DPAC and the Chronic Collaboration. 

I voted Green

On Thursday, local and Mayoral elections were held here in Stalybridge, whilst brave students resist the onslaught of being man handled at their peaceful protest in their own campus.

‘Shame, Peaceful Protest’ they cry out and I and many others finally feel the cracks in US policy in continuing their support of Israel and its Genocide of Gaza.

Our own government also complicit, our students in UK following this course if action too.

I voted Green, the only party calling for a ceasefire since this western funded murder began.

I know however the only thing Capitalism understands is money, and the Don’t Pay Campaigns I have been involved with although having limited impact so far are the way forward and if escalated may be the only way to shake this vile grip our governments have in ignoring our cry for a Free Palestine.

Caroline Wilkinson (Mrs)
Grandmother of 6
Ashamed of the Labour Party
Supporter of Jeremy Corbyn

Via email

ED: thanks Caroline – some of us Canaries also voted Green as it was the only viable option for them. Others spoiled their ballot – and some could not vote due to lack of ID.

Social Workers Union launch new resource

A campaign action pack, crammed full of useful advice and guidance for grassroots organisations, has been launched by the Social Workers Union (SWU).

The 2024 edition of the anti-austerity action pack was launched at a one-day conference at the birthplace of the TUC in Manchester on Saturday April 27th.

The pack is designed as a toolkit to help social workers campaign with their communities who are suffering from the effects of ongoing austerity and the cost-of-living crisis. But the advice in the pack is also useful for a range of grassroots organisations and front-line workers.

Dave Callow, SWU Chair, said:

“Poverty, austerity and the cost-of-living crisis continues to exclude the most vulnerable from our society. I look forward to the launch of this pack and reading how social workers and the social work profession can offer hope in difficult times in the ongoing quest for social justice.”

Angi Naylor from the Austerity Action Group took part in the 100-mile walk that inspired the campaign pack in 2017 and was a driving force behind the updated version. She said:

“It’s sad there we were in 2017 and now it’s 2024 and still we campaign and march on. The book is designed to give power back to the disenfranchised – get yourself a copy and use it. In solidarity.”

Julia Ross, British Association of Social Workers’ Chair, emphasised the importance of activism in social work:

“Poverty devastates people’s lives. When repeated over generations, as we now experience, it has a huge personal, political and policy impact. We must take action now.”