Mary’s March for Independent Living
Rebecca Tully, Green Party Parliamentary Candidate, Chingford and Woodford Green. follow on Twitter, like on Facebook. More about me here
Update: What a great event — a long journey and no greeting from Iain Duncan Smith but two councillors agreeing to ring-fence Independent Living money. Great write-up in the local Guardian, respectful stories of all the campaigners.
Please welcome Mary Laver to Chingford: This Thursday 9th April from 4pm!
Mary Laver, disability rights campaigner and former olympic torch bearer, will be making the journey between Parliament and Iain Duncan Smith’s office in Chingford in her power wheelchair on Thursday to protest about the removal of the Independent Living Fund. I’ll be joining her… and we’d like to give her a very warm welcome in Chingford and show that many people here agree that this is one of the most vicious cuts of all.
Will you join us? More about her journey here… She will hopefully arrive in Chingford, Station Road from 4.15 — we’d love to be there with as many constituents as possible who disagree with disabled people being NINETEEN TIMES more impacted by cuts than anyone else.
The Greens would save this fund: Here’s MP Caroline Lucas, “As an MP, you can face difficult choices. Sometimes it’s hard to know what the right thing is. This is not one of those times.”
The Independent Living Fund, established in 1988, has allowed disabled people to receive extra social care over and above that provided by the local authority. It has been closed to new applicants since 2010, and will be formally terminated in June 2015, leaving over 18,000 recipients without the funding to lead an independent life.
The abolition of this fund is an action which will drastically limit people’s lives, makes no economic sense and breaches the UN Convention. Its also part of a series of actions showing that current decision makers care more about safeguarding tax loopholes than ordinary people’s lives.
Cuts to local government — responsible for social care for adults and children
People with serious illnesses sanctioned and found ‘Fit for Work’
Cuts to Disability Living Allowance
Cuts to housing benefit
Each cut is someone’s life — not having the funds or transport to leave the home you are living in, having to give up your pets…
I’m proud that the Green Party has made a commitment to reinstate the ILF and reopen it to new applicants.
Please join us from 4pm on Thursday 9th April. Get in touch for more info. rebecca.tully@greenparty.org.uk
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