Notes from the UK

Yesterday Britain’s Labour government was forced to abandon most of it’s planned cuts to disability payments. A massive rebellion amongst Labour MPs forced the government to make concession after concession which was an enormous humiliation for the Starmer-led government.

Until a few days ago the UK government arrogantly brushed off all demands for changes to it’s cuts bill. However, the disability rights movement had successfully built up a mood of wide spread opposition to the cuts which led to 130 Labour MPs threatening to vote down the governments bill which would have driven over a million disabled people into poverty.

A few days ago the government, realising it was facing defeat on this issue, made it’s first major concession. This concession involved exempting all current claimants from the proposed cuts to certain welfare benefits (Personal Independence Payment – PIP and the health element of Universal Credit).

Yesterday, against the background of widespread opposition from it’s own MPs, the Starmer government made more last minute concessions. These gutted the cuts bill of most of it’s provisions. Although it did leave some cuts intact. However brave a face they put on it, the huge U-turn carried out by the government was a humiliating defeat.

For disability campaigners, facing a government with a massive majority supported by a compliant media, it has been a remarkable – though not total – victory.

Meanwhile whilst Starmer got a grilling over the cuts bill in Prime Minister's Question Time, Rachel Reeves the Treasurer has now stolen the headlines by crying the entire time. Now the Downing Street rumour mill is churning, but let's not get distracted and forget the gutting of this insidious bill was down to the hard campaigning of disabled people.

Don't let anyone tell you you can't make a difference.