Kill the bill not the
vulnerable, protestors demand
CAMPAIGNERS resisting the Government’s Welfare Reform Bill
say their protest in London against “cruel and unnecessary cuts” was an
“amazing success”, bringing the busy Oxford Circus to a “complete standstill”,
but the resistance is far from over.
The numbers might seem small, but over 200 protestors
nevertheless managed to make an impact – and their point – by crippling traffic
flow around the target area.
At midday on Saturday, a group of wheelchair users from
Disabled People Against the Cuts (DPAC) chained themselves together in the
middle of Regent Street, using handcuffs and bicycle locks. They were joined by
some 200 people who had responded to a call by UK Uncut to show their support
to the protest.
“The day has been an amazing success,” said Alex Logan, one
of the protestors who answered the UK Uncut call. “Together we have shown that
we are not going to take the cruel Welfare Reform Bill lying down. We will
continue to work together to fight the bullying behaviour of the Government,
which is choosing to make marginalized people’s lives a misery while continuing
to let rich companies dodge £25 billion of tax each year.”
The location of the protest was not released in advance, but
was communicated via Twitter at the ‘last minute’; UK Uncut supporters
themselves gathered at Holborn station and then made their way to Oxford
Circus. Among them were protestors from Occupy London and Black Triangle. Some
of the people protesting on the day had come from as far afield as Manchester,
Cornwall and Edinburgh to take part in the action.
The Welfare Reform Bill is “unfair, unnecessary and unpopular”
say the protestors – and they want to see it scrapped.
Measures contained within the Welfare Reform Bill have
proved controversial from the moment it was first proposed by the Government,
and it has provoked disquiet, stinging rebuke, and a string of high-profile
defeats in the House of Lords lately – as well as public protest such as this
day’s action.
‘Fairness’ is a much-used word by Ministers defending the
Bill, but many people – far removed from the world of street activism – have
condemned the legislation. Despite the Lords’ defeats the Government says it
will press on regardless once the legislation returns to the Commons – and pass
the Bill through unchanged.
Around 500,000 people stand to lose their homes as a result
of the changes. Others face the prospect of becoming ‘imprisoned’ within their
own homes as a result of the loss of support. Nearly half a million would lose
their Disability Living Allowance (DLA), including disabled children. People
with terminal illnesses aren’t safe either and will be forced into work, and
3.2 million people are to be put through demanding – and demeaning – tests that
have already drawn criticism for the skewed way they operate, declaring those
too ill to work as ‘fit and able’.
According to the Government’s own research, the flagship
legislation is expected to dump 100,000 children into poverty.
The Government says the country’s benefits bill has
“spiralled out of control” and that it must cut the deficit to bring the
nation’s finances back under control. Yet it does little to address the
spiralling costs of rents, for example, which are bubbling upwards much the
same as house prices prior to the credit crunch. This is compounded by low
wages and a shortage of genuinely affordable housing, meaning that many people
in work also need to claim Housing Benefit – business is booming for private
landlords.
Tax-dodging by the super-rich is a much greater loss to the
public purse, according to the protestors.
“Bankers are continuing to reap massive bonuses and over £25
billion is uncollected in taxes. We say that disable people should not be
forced to pay the price of these austerity cuts,” said Cerys Williams, a DPAC
supporter. “There are over £16 billion in unclaimed benefits and we have some
of the lowest benefit levels in Europe. We question why this Government is
forcing through further draconian cuts to the safety net of the welfare state
on which all of us who are not millionaire politicians depend at some stage of
our lives.”
Cheryl Thomson of UK Uncut added: “This bill is both cruel
and unnecessary and is another example of a Government choosing to pick on
marginalized and socially disadvantaged people, whilst continuing to let those
who caused this crisis off the hook. The Government could collect at least £25
billion more each year if they were serious about cracking down on tax
avoidance by rich companies and individuals – far more than will be saved by
this Bill. Instead they are choosing to destroy the welfare state that has
formed such an important part of our society for over 60 years. The campaign
against the Welfare Reform Bill has been gaining momentum and together we can
defeat it.”
ENDS
Category: SOCIETY
0 comments:
Post a Comment