Last month’s elections in England, Scotland and Wales confirmed that many voters are unconvinced by the Labour government’s record and uninspired by its promises. Disabled voters, who have suffered a decade of austerity and been ravaged by the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, have been dismayed by Kier Starmer’s failure to tackle the enormous inequalities we face.
His government’s actions have fallen far short of what we hoped for in terms of delivering a fairer society for Disabled people. Its framing has diminished our lives and contribution, and characterised us as a drain on income and services.
We continue to disproportionately live in poverty, regardless of whether we are in work or in receipt of social security, as energy and food bills and rental costs soar. Health care, social care, educational support and employment support fail to meet our needs or create a level playing field. We encounter barriers to our inclusion at every turn, including housing, transport, street and built environments and digital information.
