#JFMOS ANGUS ROBERTSON SNP RAISES DEATH OF MICHAEL O’SULLIVAN AT PMQs: “WHY HAVE MINISTERS TAKEN NO ACTION?” – DAUGHTER SPEAKS OUT

(Below) Prime Minister’s Questions 21/10/15

Jeremy Corbyn’s question concerning the current UN investigation into allegations of ‘grave and systematic’ human rights abuses of UK disabled people and Angus Robertson SNP’s question on Michael O’Sullivan and the Coroner’s ruling that his death was caused as a direct result of the DWP Work Capability Assessment disability assessment regime.

“WHY HAVE MINISTERS TAKEN NO ACTION?” – DAUGHTER SPEAKS OUT

Black Triangle Campaign Statement

The Scottish National Party’s Westminster Leader Angus Robertson MP
condemned David Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions today over the UK government’s flawed welfare reforms, raising the tragic death of Michael O’Sullivan, who committed suicide following an incorrect decision following his Work Capability Assessment.

Commenting, Anne-Marie O’Sullivan, daughter of Michael O’Sullivan said:

“On behalf of my family I would like to thank Angus Robertson for raising the question in Parliament today relating to my father’s tragic passing.

“The significance of the Coroner’s ruling after Dad’s inquest was both traumatic and heart-wrenching for us.

“Yet, despite the DWP admitting to “regrettable mistakes”, our
understanding is that the WCA system is still unsafe, so why have ministers taken no action, more than two years after dad died? We do not want other families to face the devastation that ours has gone through, but we fear that many have been forced to do so.

“This assessment process is broken and unsafe and we urge the Government to halt the WCA immediately until a more transparent and fairer system can be found. Their current style of assessing disabled people has been proven not to work and to put lives at risk.

“Since losing our much loved father, our lives have changed forever – it left us completely shattered and devastated. Even two years on, the pain we feel is still immeasurable.”

John McArdle Co-Founder of the Scottish based Black Triangle Campaign who have been working with the O’Sullivan family said:

Black Triangle Campaign and Disabled People Against Cuts would never give up the struggle for justice for Michael O’Sullivan, his friends and family until every UK resident and the whole world knew and understood fully that the UK Government’s “So-called Welfare Reforms” amounted to nothing but a policy of democide” – where the state acts:

“intentionally or knowingly with a reckless and depraved disregard for life”

He continued:

“Since our friend Paul Reekie was lost to us almost identical circumstances to Mr. O’Sullivan in June 2010 we have worked unceasingly to expose the scandal and barbarity of the DWP Work Capability Assessment regime that is continuing to take disabled people’s lives and otherwise cause catastrophic devastation.

“We have worked seamlessly with our sister organisation in the rest of the UK Disabled People Against Cuts to oppose all attacks on the well-being, health and fundamental human rights of disabled people on these islands and it is for that reason that, as Jeremy Corbyn announced from the dispatch box in the Commons today, the UK is at present hosting a delegation of investigators from the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights into grave and systematic violations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ironically at a time when our mass media is focused on human rights record of the People’s Republic of China owing to this week’s State Visit by the Chinese Premier.

“In his response to the raising of these issues the British Prime Minister David Cameron with the arrogance and contempt to which we as disabled people have become familiar: he implied that we were lucky to receive any help at all and that wee should consider ourselves lucky that we do not live in other regions of the world where disabled people get no help at all.

“This is a shameful day for the United Kingdom but we wish to thank the Scottish National Party from the bottom of our heart for speaking out on our behalf today and likewise extend our warmest thanks and appreciation to Jeremy Corbyn for similarly raising these issues.

“Let justice be done and let all those who believe in a humane and civilised society and human rights now stand with us in our struggle until the truth is out and our disabled people’s human rights are fully restored.”

Black Triangle Campaign

Edinburgh, Wednesday 21st October 2015

Media inquiries only: 07913 379782