An Open Letter To Sick And Disabled People In The U.K.

Yesterday, I posted my letter to Minister Chris Grayling (http://www.twitlonger.com/show/h25ir6) and I have been profoundly moved by your e-mails and tweets of gratitude and thanks. 

 Although I reside across the pond in Canada, I've been following the crisis for Britain's sick and disabled with keen interest since the first "Hardest Hit" march last May and am striving to build a Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) complaint against the United Kingdom with the United Nations.  I'm disabled myself (born with cerebral palsy), and have been reporting to the UN's CRPD Secretariat for several months, as it is critical that they be fully informed about the crushing austerity measures, the welfare reforms, and the means-testing (i.e. Atos)—all of which has resulted in a calamity of deaths and suicides of sick and disabled people due to destitution and withdrawn disability benefits.  

 
I followed the Welfare Reform Bill debates via BBC Democracy Live, read verbatim Parliamentary Hansard transcripts, and watched with horror as the Tory Government defeated all of the House of Lords amendments through the heavy-handed use of "financial privilege."  In early March, I wrote to the Queen and appealed to her not to give the Welfare Reform Bill her royal assent—a last ditch effort which, of course, ended in failure on March 8th when that legislation officially was signed into law.

I supported the Spartacus Report campaign on Twitter from the outset, often getting up very early in the morning to "tweet" because Britain is five hours ahead of Montreal, Canada where I reside.  (I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the outstanding efforts of disability activists and campaigners in the U.K., many of whom are fighting the government in spite of their own severe ill health, particularly Sue Marsh, who has been hospitalized several times recently.  (Her battle against the government's austerity measures and reforms has taken a very high cost on her health.)  I want to thank both her and Kaliya Franklin for taking me under their wing. 

I've railed against The Sun's and Daily Mail's "benefit cheats" campaign, which has been endorsed by the government.  It has done incalculable harm to the reputation of genuine sick and disabled people, who have been vilified as "scroungers" and verbally and physically attacked in public as a direct consequence.  Reports from the government and the police indicate that disability hate crime is rising.  (Months ago, I wrote to Maria Miller, Minister for the Disabled, asking her to send cease and desist letters to the offending newspapers publishing "benefit cheat" stories, but she never bothered to respond.  And I am not hopeful either that Minister Chris Grayling will reply to my latest missive.)  

I've read numerous articles and reports pertaining to the Welfare Reform Bill, including two Joint Committee on Human Rights reports to the government—as well as a plethora of news articles on the plight of the long-term sick and disabled.  There is no doubt in my mind that Britain is violating United Nations, CRPD, and European human rights treaties.  

I consulted with a Canadian law professor who specializes in human rights legislation who's physically disabled himself, and he queried a solicitor in Britain. They both believe that a judicial review of the Welfare Reform bill is sorely needed—but that's an expensive proposition since the plaintiff might be ordered to pay the court costs of the defendant (i.e. the government) as well as his own.  

I have asked Paul Farmer, CEO of the health charity Mind, who recently resigned from the oversight work capability assessment (WCA) panel, to verify if a judicial review is required before a court injunction can be sought to slow, or even halt, the assessments by Atos until they are deemed fit for purpose.  His response, just two days ago, was that he would consult with his team and get back to me with an answer.

I would like to encourage sick and disabled people in Britain to e-mail me at disabilityinliterature@gmail.com with stories of their plight.  I may share your letters and documents with officials of the United Nations, but will seek your permission to do so in advance.  There is an encouraging development that I would like to bring to your attention:

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/uk-is-breaching-human-rights-of-disabled-un-told.17186941

Again, I want to thank you for your kind support.

In solidarity,

Samuel Miller.

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Samuel Miller
E-Mail: disabilityinliterature@gmail.com
Blog: Hephaestus: Disability Studies
http://illnessandcivilization.blogspot.com/
Blog: My Disability Studies Blackboard
http://mydisabilitystudiesblackboard.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/Hephaestus7
(Montreal, Canada)