There aren't a lot of MPs who I find truly disgusting. I disagree with an awful lot of them, I'll say they're misguided, misinformed, stupid, arrogant, out-of-touch, a bit of a dick, a massive dick, or a bit spiteful. But really, how do you deal with a man who once wrote to the Equalities Commission to ask them "is it racist for a policeman to refer to a BMW as 'black man's wheels'"?, or who slated a school production of 'Romeo and Julian' during LGBT week (incidentally I actually saw the play and it was very very good). How do I describe a man who thinks it's fine to suggest that disabled people should work for less than those who aren't disabled? How do I describe a man who argues against tax credits because they cost the UK too much, when he himself relied on them during his time as a cashier with Asda? A man who objected to the UKYP using the House of Commons once a year because "it would set a precedent whereby organisations such as the Muslim Council of Britain could use our House"?
Voters, I am of course referring to the not-so-Honorable Philip Davies MP. A man whose attitude to people less fortunate than himself is much like the attitude I have towards people who spit on my face.
Davies' comments aren't all that surprising when you remember that he believes the minimum wage should be scrapped altogether, so I'm not going to make a big fuss out of slamming him for it, despite the fact that he is a vile creature. What he has reminded us of, however, is that there is a culture of discrimination against those with mental or physical disabilities. Davies is right when he points out that most employers will employ someone without a disability. Mainly because they believe that person will be more productive, and often because it's cheaper - they don't have to install lifts or ramps, or adjust computers etc. A lot of this is down to the perceptions of employers who don't actually know an awful lot about what a person with a specific disability can or cannot do. Sophie Corlett from Mind, the mental health charity, is right on the money when she says that what needs to change is our culture - she says that employers should be educated better when it comes to those with disabilities.
Of course, it isn't acceptable to simply say that we have a culture that discriminates, it's not Mr Davies' fault that he's a massive steaming turd. The fact is that the Disability Discrimination Act (2004) and later the Equality Act (2010) were designed to protect the most vulnerable from being screwed over. The fact that it is still demonstrably happening is testament to the lax enforcement of legislation surrounding equality. Employers regularly get away with overt discrimination without being fined or prosecuted because
a) Those who are discriminated against on grounds of disability don't necessarily know what powers there are to protect them - this needs to change.
b) Law enforcement doesn't take cases of discrimination anywhere near as seriously as they should, and
c) Employers often can pay for a good defense team, can fiddle facts and are in most cases in control of any evidence there might be that would work against them.
It is, of course, ridiculous to suggest that any group (whether they're disabled or below 21) should work for less than anyone else doing the same job. Life is no cheaper for a disabled person than it is for me (in fact in most cases it's probably more expensive - try getting a wheelchair on the Piccadilly line and you'll see what I mean). The Minimum Wage was designed to protect the most vulnerable from workhouse-like conditions. Arguing to allow some people to work for less than it is quite clearly at odds with this.
Given that people with disabilities actually make up a disproportionate amount of the most deprived 10% of the population it hardly seems sensible to exacerbate the problem.
Instead of listening to Right Wing bullshit from a miserable git, let's actually look at ways we can do the best for disabled people who are either directly or indirectly discriminated against. Let's see transport made cheaper for wheelchair users by allowing them proper access to public transport instead of forcing them to use taxis. Let's see employers educated better so that they can make an informed judgement about what someone with Asperger's can actually do, instead of making a blanket discrimination. Let's see a change in the way people with disabilities are treated, rather than changing how much they're paid.
And, voters of Shipley, can we see a change in who you vote for in 2015, please?
Yes, this man is ignorant, ill informed and a disgrace to the institution of Parliament.
ReplyDeleteabsolutely - it is often considerably more expensive to manage life as a disabled person - not least because of inaccessible public transport ( and not just for wheelchair users ), specialist diets, medication that goes beyond prescription subsidies, extra fuel costs, cleaners, carers etc etc. Unless the govt simply want a raft of uncharted deaths on their hands ( albeit the streets are a pretty visible location for impecunious expiry) the legislators need to make informed decisions - not simply those based on prejudice and misguided ideology which is based not one iota in the reality of life with a body that doesn't necessarily work very well - either some or all of the time.
Legislation needs to be introduced to ensure that employers are more flexible ( and not just in terms of installing DDA ramps ). In particular, a right to home working instead of being made to feel inadequate on the days when it's impossible to make it to the office. Also grants for specialist equipment. An understanding of a need for more regular breaks. Avoidance of the use of chemicals which can cause side effects. At the same time, those who are specifically unable to work for periods need to have a fast track lock-in to a universal benefit to cover these times without fear of being left to starve or accrue vast quantities of debt.
With the odds stacked increasingly against the sick and disabled - this is the time to stand up ( or sit down ) and be counted amongst those who understand humanity and principle.