Richard Burgon speaking in Kentish Town at a meeting organised by Camden Disability Action

A LABOUR MP from Leeds came to Kentish Town to hear how the government’s proposed disability welfare cuts will affect residents – after Sir Keir Starmer and Tulip Siddiq said they were unable to attend an open meeting.

Disabled people from across the borough filled a large room in the Greenwood Centre, an independent living centre run by Camden Disability Action (CDA), to share how they will be impacted.

The government-ordered cuts will include making it more difficult to qualify for personal independence payments (PIP), which is also a gateway to accessing other benefits such as Carer’s Allowance.

The crowd booed as Pat Stack, chair of trustees at CDA, said Mr Starmer and Ms Siddiq had said they were unavailable.

“It is really unfortun­ate that they’re not here to hear what you think about what they’ve done,” he said.

“It feels like every which way the govern­ment turns they do something to devalue disabled people and ignore our needs. I don’t know about you but this is not the government I expected.”

Colin Brummage, chief executive of CDA, said: “I want them to hear our perspective. They need to really rethink this abhorrent policy that is going to deeply damage disabled people’s lives.”

He said the proposed policy was drawn up as if disabled people were a burden on society who are refusing to work.

The reality, Mr Brummage told the meeting, is that the barriers to work and inaccessible employers mean it is near-impossible for many people to find a position that accommodates their needs.

Mr Brummage said: “The policy frames disabled people as the problem, and the wider inaccessible society is again and again let off the hook. The disability employment gap has nothing to do with our enthusiasm and our commitment to search for work, nor are our welfare benefits some kind of disincentive for us to work.

“I doubt very much that the key architects of this policy have ever sat in a wheelchair and phoned up an employer during recruitment and said, ‘Is it OK if we change the venue for my interview?’” Thomas Marston, who has autism, said he wouldn’t be able to work in an office environment full time and would need a part-time job to reduce his anxiety.

“Until employers are held accountable for making recruitment fair and accessible nothing will change,” he said.

“I rely on PIP and universal credit to pay bills like rent and utility bills.”

Claire Glasman speaking at the meeting at the Greenwood Centre

Claire Glasman from WinVisible said there was a “crisis” happening already and her group had been contacted by many disabled mothers who were “extremely anxious” that they would be made homeless if they lost their PIP.

Richard Burgon, Labour MP for Leeds East who said the proposed policy is “morally wrong” , attended the meeting.

He said the last time he was in Kentish Town was for a gig.

He said: “If you’re worried if I haven’t written to the prime minister to say I’m going to his constituency, I can assure you that I have. I sent him a very nice email on Friday informing him I’d be coming.

“What I would say to the decision-makers in our government and party is that a different type of leadership is listening and saying ‘you know what we got that wrong, we’ll think again’.”

He said he believed a “fundamental reason” why they’re doing this is because “they don’t dare to tax the very richest”.

Mr Burgon said: “They don’t dare grasp that nettle so they’re looking around for other ways to scrimp and save. It’s an un-Labour policy.”

The cuts would save up to £4-£5billion a year, it has been reported. Mr Burgon said: “Yet £24billion a year could be raised by having a wealth tax of 2 per cent on assets over £10million.

“It’s unconscionable to try and balance the books on the backs of the poor and the disabled.”

Tulip Siddiq had a parliamentary commitment on Monday which meant she was unable to attend.

A spokesperson for the Hampstead and Highgate MP said: “She is very concerned to make sure that residents have the support that they need and has offered immediate advice surgeries to any CDA members who live in Hampstead and Highgate. If any constituents are concerned about the impact of the welfare reforms, please do email tulip.siddiq.mp@ parliament.uk.”