John Pring, who runs the Disability News Service, publishes his weekly news round-ups of the happenings in the disability world the past week.
• The minister for disabled people and London’s mayor faced repeated, angry heckling from activists when they addressed a conference held to discuss disability issues in the capital.
• Disabled people have reacted angrily after they were told they will no longer be able to drive vehicles worth over £25,000 through the Motability car scheme.
• Comedian Ricky Gervais has sparked a storm of protest from disabled people and other campaigners after repeatedly using an offensive and disablist word in messages on the social media network Twitter.
• There has been a “significant increase” in the number of negative stories about disabled people in national newspapers over the last six years, according to new research.
• The announcement of a long-awaited strategy for promoting independent living in Wales has been welcomed by disabled campaigners.
• Labour’s new shadow minister for disabled people has accused the government of “talking up” the issue of disability benefit fraud as it attempts to push through its sweeping welfare reforms.
• A disability charity’s decision to close down a national advice organisation, just two years after they merged, has provoked anger among disabled people’s organisations (DPOs).
• The UK’s leading disabled people’s organisation (DPO) has raised serious concerns over the new name chosen by a trio of national disability charities that are set to merge.
• More than 100 disabled people have raised campaigning issues around disability rights and equality in face-to-face meetings with their local MP, thanks to a scheme that aims to build relationships between politicians and their disabled constituents.
• A disabled MP is attempting to introduce new legislation that would extend free travel concessions in England to disabled people who use community transport services.
• Campaigners have highlighted the dangers of controversial “shared space” street developments by blocking buses outside a railway station, as part of an international day of action.
• A disabled people’s organisation has secured £300,000 of National Lottery funding to support disabled young people into volunteer placements.
News provided by John Pring at www.disabilitynewsservice.com
Disability News Service (DNS) is run by John Pring, an experienced journalist who has been reporting on disability issues for more than 15 years.
