Being sold up the river

This is a guest post by Joanna


Institutionalised discrimination runs through the highest levels of government and their departments, backed by a willing tabloid media, both of which are go uncontested and have directly resulted in higher rates of disability hate crimes. They shifted public perception into more extreme hatred over the last two years with their relentless campaign to blame sick/disabled people in receipt of benefits for the country’s deficit.

People cannot access legal aid or Citizens Advice Bureaux through cutbacks for welfare representation at tribunals. Mind has been awarded 20 million by a government which has slashed mental health services in half and removed self-harm as a descriptor from ESA and the proposed PIP to run yet another anti-stigma campaign. That money could fund lawyers to contest what’s happening to people in higher courts, or an entire advocacy service – but no instead it will fund a pointless campaign - might as well give 20 million to the BNP to run a campaign on racial equality.

Anti stigma campaigns do not produce results for the millions which are spent, the statistics speak for themselves and in any other arena Mind would be laughed out of the boardroom for such a paltry return. The videos have started, the glossy ads will follow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCJr1HIygVs

Yet Fry and Wax speaking of “their people” never ever speak of the daily life issues which impact on us more grindingly than any stigma we experience on the bus, such as council repairs departments, housing departments, health service, DWP, government ministers, government departments. They have been told welfare and housing are the two major issues impacting on us – no response. I hope they enjoy the parties and well heeled events that we won’t get to in order to question WHY they do not speak for the very people they claim to be their peers?


Public perceptions changed by 2.2% in two years [2008 to 2010] then dropped down to 0.8% since the Coalition has been in power. The biggest negative impact on public perceptions - a minus 1.4% drop in a year - has been caused by the people now funding Time To Change.