Disability protesters blocked from Commons chamber

WEDNESDAY 24 JUNE 2015
Police stop disability rights protesters from entering the Commons chamber during prime minister's questions in a noisy demonstration against the end of the independent living fund.

Thirty police officers lined up outside the entrance to the chamber, in parliament's central lobby, to stop the protesters, including around 10 in wheelchairs, from going any further, with one woman led away by officers as she tried to enter the chamber.

The protesters, from Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), are campaigning against the end of theindependent living fund.

Demonstrator Mary Johnson, from Doncaster in South Yorkshire, said: "We tried to get down there because the government needs to listen. We tried to get into the chamber, but we were stopped by police."

(Video: Kate Belgrave)

'Dragged away by police'

She said she witnessed one protester being "dragged away by police" claiming officers' behaviour was "disgusting" and that they had been "pushing wheelchairs around".

Paula Peters, from Dpac, said the protesters were "desperate" and accused police of a "heavy handed" response.

She said: "Over 30 people, disabled activists, independent living fund users and Dpac members, have gone in, they made a rush for the House of Commons doors. Police threw themselves on them to stop them from doing that."

"A lot of these guys have very severe impairments, wheelchairs with their equipment, who are facing down police officers."

'Refusing to listen'

Ms Peters said that the protesters "feel they have got no other choice but to take this kind of action" because "this government is refusing to listen to what disabled people have to say on this issue".

She added: "The only option we have left before the fund closes is to take this form of action, this peaceful, non-violent direct action.

"They have got nothing else left to lose, they have lost it all already. They are desperate, they are frightened for their future, they feel they have got no future and they are prepared to take this action to show to the world that they are not going to run from the government, from a fight. They are prepared to fight for their rights with everything they have."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said that one person and their carer were ejected from parliament for disorderly behaviour, but no arrests were made.

Public access to central lobby was restricted for 30 minutes while officers dealt with the situation, according to the Met. The spokesman added that security was not compromised and business in the Commons was able to carry on as usual.

'Scaremongering'

The independent living fund provides financial support to severely disabled people to help them live independently by, for example, employing carers. It is coming to an end on 30 June, with responsibility for supporting disabled people passing to councils.

Critics are worried that disabled people will be left with less money, but the Department for Work and Pensions said they were "scaremongering" and that local authorities and devolved administrations "will be fully funded to ensure disabled people get the targeted support they need to live independent lives".