Ben Golightly, Swansea and West Wales Socialist Party and Swansea Disabled People Against Cuts
This Labour government’s cruel proposals to impoverish hundreds of thousands of disabled people and carers, including disabled workers, are now on the table in parliament for 1 July.
There was never any pretence of democracy about this. Half of the proposals – the most important half – were off the table from day one of the so-called consultation process. The process itself was flawed and blatantly discriminatory towards the disabled people hoping to participate.
By introducing the Bill in parliament before the sham consultation had even concluded, before there had even been a single consultation event in Wales, with the first vote in parliament taking place merely the day after the consultation concludes – while the ink is still dry on responses the government has had no chance to consider – Keir Starmer’s government has shown its absolute contempt for disabled people and carers.
From the moment the cuts were announced three months ago, thousands of disabled people and carers have hurled ourselves into the battle of our lives. We also knew, from day one, that this is an attack on the entire working class, and the government wouldn’t stop here.
This is a government of divide and rule, stumbling from one crisis to another, stirring up division in an attempt to deflect from its failings, making working-class people pay for the bosses’ crisis.
The problems ordinary people face – NHS waiting lists, low pay, lack of services, and extortionate rents – are not the fault of disabled people, or migrants, or trans people, or any other section of the working class. They are a result of failures of Tory and Labour governments over decades as managers in a capitalist system that makes the rich richer at our expense.
And Labour MPs know that their government of the bosses is deeply hated. Eyeing their slim majorities and anger in their constituencies, over 100 have pledged support to an amendment that would halt the passage of the welfare bill in Parliament. If efforts so far have caused that many to reconsider their positions, imagine what further U-turns could be won if we step up the fight.
It is urgent that trade unions, as mass democratic organisations which in total represent 1.4 million disabled workers, show decisive leadership in opposing these attacks. Trade union leaders must not put loyalty to the Labour Party above defending their members and communities.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) in September, which represents 5.5 million workers, will hear a motion, initiated by members of the Socialist Party, calling on it to organise a weekend demonstration against Labour austerity as a launchpad for sustained action.
We need a new party of the working class, and the trade unions should take the lead in fighting for one. We need a party with socialist policies to take the wealth off the super-rich, that can cut across division, stand up for communities and bring together disabled people and the working class as a whole to fight for a decent life for all.
