October 21st 2016 By Gail Ward Co Founder Cradle2Grave
The whole concept of joining the dots together under one campaign after being battered and bruised by Tory Austerity for six years seemed a big task. Happily, Cross Border Alliance and the Black Triangle Campaign took on the challenge to create, eye-catching poster.
Many of the poorest in society living on the breadline on meager Social Security Payments, or working on Minimum Wage zero hour contracts, has led to hardships not seen since WW2.
Many issues have been raised on the effects of cuts, particularly to chronically ill and disabled people. The dangerous Work Capability Assessment, the loss of the Independent Living Fund, the removal of the Disability Living Allowance to be replaced by the Personal Independence Payment and there was more to come. The dreaded bedroom tax, sanctions, workfare, the rise in food banks and cuts to public services to name just a few of the attacks against the most vulnerable people in society. Many deaths have occurred as a result of the removal of the safety net that those individuals relied upon to survive.
Campaigners have been very vocal about the hardships faced by many families with job losses, social care cuts, poor mental health provision, and disabled people being thrown to the lions whilst Westminster have targeted them in policy after policy.
Many have written to the United Nations, who are investigating the UK for Grave and Systemic Violations of disabled people’s rights, as ‘inclusion’ is merely a word to any society which fails to deliver.
Yet the British media has failed to make this issue one of the shameful events of 21st century Britain. Some allies within the Labour party have staunchly supported campaigners during the last 6 years, yet many feel their voices have not only fallen on deaf ears, that they have been silenced by the drip of rhetoric fed to the general public, who are too busy making ends meet to notice what is really happening.
Labour needs to pay attention to its use of language such as ‘benefit’ and ‘welfare’, ‘handouts’. Not everyone is capable of paid employment, which is something politicians fail to grasp, and that includes some Labour politicians.
This is why those fighting on the frontline should be brought to the table, and their lived experiences told. Who asks us our opinions? We don’t want charities speaking for us while colluding to get funding from government, or private contractors whose sole aim is profit over people, with insurance companies waiting to pounce on those less able to afford to live and survive, let alone work past the present pension age, which has been known to change at the whim of the unelected Lord Freud.
This is why this campaign is so vitally important to tell the pubic the truth to get them to vote, and support this campaign before it’s too late. Our aim is a poster in every town and city funded by the grassroots. This campaign is supported by Ken loach and Paul Laverty ‘I Daniel Blake’.
Naturally we are looking for donations but also support from fellow campaigners to unite together to support this. We are all fighting the same fight and unity is strength.
Please Look at our poster and website http://www.cradle2grave.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/cradle2gravecampaign/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1537032916593882/
Twitter: @cradle2_grave
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