Tell Members of House of Lords how to vote on Welfare Reform – SDN has!

Shropshire Disability Network has sent an email to all members of the House of Lords who did not vote against the Welfare Reform Bill last week.  The email sets out the concerns of people with disability, and attaches a copy of the Spartacus Report setting out the truth about the results of the Government Consultation.  Our email is posted below, but you can join in and make your voice heard too.  If you follow this link Ouch-Too!  have posted details of all Members of Lords who voted against the Bill and all who didn’t – just copy and paste the second group into your BCC box and send an email asking them nicely to vote tomorrow evening – the more pressure the more likely they are to respond.  It worked last week as it has become clear that the public outcry about the Spartacus report resulted in many many members of Lords rejecting the Bill.  Lets build on the momentum and do our bit in Shropshire.  

Email from Shropshire Disability Network to Members of the House of Lords sent Monday 16 January 2012

Dear Sir/Madam 

“Shropshire Disability Network  represents the voice of disabled people, their carers and families in the county of Shropshire.  The Network is appalled by the proposals put forward by Government in the Welfare Reform Bill, which we believe are ill considered, ill informed and have been drafted using consultation information which has mis-represented the views of the disabled people and disability support organisations which responded.

 If you are receiving this email it is because you did not vote against the reform last week.   This may be because of illness or misinformation, or simply not understanding the implications of this bill which will create untold hardship for thousands of people with disability who thought they could rely on the state to support them to have at least some quality of life.  If you have not read the attached Spartacus report before you vote this week please take the time to do so. 

 We have attached two versions, the full report and an easy read version which will give you a very quick summary.  We are sure you will be as appalled as the rest of us by its content and we very much hope that after reading it you will do all in your power to prevent this Bill proceeding without a very radical review of its content and its intentions.

 Thank you for reading this and we hope we can count on your support.”

Good News!   Email reply 20 minutes after sending the email from SDN,  from Baroness Hamwee acknowledges our concern and informs us that 

“You will know that the government has now agreed to reduce the qualifying period from six to three months.  The lead name on the amendment to this effect is that of my colleague Baroness Thomas, who says “The reasons for keeping the qualification period at three months are compelling. It is enough time to assess a person’s condition and needs, and six months is a long time to wait for extra resources, particularly for people who suffer a sudden illness or accident.”

Sally Hamwee

SDN says – Hear Hear Baroness – thank goodness there are still people listening and understanding the issues in Parliament, even though they are in the “other house”