Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a day set up and championed by the United Nations since 1992 to celebrate disabled people’s achievements across the world. But if you’re a disabled person in this country you might not feel like celebrating because so many of us are losing vital benefits, being pushed into debt, and having our independence and quality of life eroded by the policies of the current government. A day celebrating disabled people’s achievements feels empty when it comes in the midst of such relentless cuts and daily vilification in the media.

But there’s one reason for disabled people to celebrate and I was reminded of this when I caught a bit of ITV’s morning show, Daybreak, earlier. Francesca Martinez was being interviewed about the WOW (War on Welfare) petition.

The WOW petition, created and driven forward by disabled people, calls for a Cumulative Impact Assessment of all cuts and changes affecting sick and disabled people, their families and carers. The WOW team have worked tirelessly to get to this point and I can’t think of a better was to celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities than to sign this petition. It hit 100,000 signatures last week, which means it now has to be debated in the House of Commons.

Francesca said it best in her very powerful interview this morning: “More signatures means more pressure.”

She went on…

“Let’s fight to create a society that values human wellbeing above profit and ensures that everyone has an equal right to happiness regardless of income or ability – that’s one worth fighting for.”

There’s not long left to sign the petition so please do it now, and then share it as widely as you can.

Festive Outburst
“Christmas Tree Correction Centre.”