Cockell and the cuts for London's disabled - the letter the Guardian did not publish

Here below is the letter from a range of London's and national disability groups on Cllr Cockell the axe wielder and the impact of his actions on the disabled community.


Dear all,


Society Guardian is the section of the Guardian which deals with public sector services. Recently, they featured a profile of Sir Merrick Cockell, leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, and new head of the Local Government Association, http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jul/26/merrick-cockell-local-government-association/print
with no mention of Elaine McDonald’s case, and presenting him as “A new champion for local government”.

We sent in a joint response from several disability groups involved in the campaign to defend Elaine McDonald and disability rights. The Guardian chose not to print it, though they had told us they would consider it when we described how we wanted to respond. We thought that people would still like to see the letter.

Cockell is quoted all the time enforcing cuts, see:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/aug/02/charities-fight-survival-funds-slashed?INTCMP=SRCH

Best wishes

Claire

Response: Cockell no champion

So Merrick Cockell, leader of Kensington & Chelsea Council and new chair of the Local Government Association, “commands respect” (“A new champion for local government”, Society, 26 July)? Not from the pensioners and disabled people who demonstrated at the Town Hall last week http://kensington.londoninformer.co.uk/2011/07/protesters-storm-council-meeti.html in support of Elaine McDonald, whom the Council battled – up to the Supreme Court – to deprive her of night care, condemning her to 12 hours unattended on incontinence pads. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jul/06/care-battle-ballerina-supreme-court

Cockell’s ‘difficult decisions’ are easy for him and his mates. They are not affected by care cuts: most of them pay privately, and can afford it. Many are likely to benefit from state cuts, as privatisation -- of railways to hospital trusts to back-to-work schemes, care homes, homecare agencies -- profits businesspeople. Why else would they be doing it? It seems the only purpose envisaged for those of us who are older or disabled (and increasingly for anyone who is not wealthy) is as an object of profit. Otherwise, despite the lifetime contribution we have already made, we are treated as useless eaters, a drain on society. We won’t have it!

Signed Linda Burnip, Debbie Jolly, Eleanor Lisney, co-founders, Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC)
Jill Goble, Brighton DPAC
Kevin Caulfield, Chair, Hammersmith and Fulham Coalition Against Community Care Cuts
Tracey Lazard, Chief Executive, Inclusion London
Claire Glasman, WinVisible (women with visible & invisible disabilities) ……………………………………………………