Hi so has nothing changed

I get what your saying Rachel (that it’s too early for the well proportioned lady to start singing) but these are actual quotes from Kendall now, Labour have chosen to stay silent on a few issues that is worrying the community (which a few kind but common sense words could have lifted that strain), we still don’t know if we have a dedicated disabled minister yet and even if we do foxcroft (whom many of us liked) won’t be in the job and labours language used to describe the sick & disabled the past year has been unhelpful at best.

Look I don’t want ppl to be panicked either (it’s a waste of energy) but the disabled community may need to think about soon being pre-emptively angry of a situation that is increasingly feeling like Deja vu

(We can’t allow Labour to pick up where the tories left things and we don’t have time to give Labour any second chances or even too much ‘benefit of the doubt’ - being panicked is not constructive and politicians will just ignore that reaction. Our community the moment things are clear need to be fast and strong in any necessary backlash - we can’t allow ourselves to be walked all over anymore!)

and the disability new service (a respected disability site) seem to be on the same page as me (that it’s very very early days, but early signs aren’t the greatest (after a tough 15 years with our standards very low as a result))

https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/six-days-and-19000-words-into-a-new-government-and-just-one-mention-of-disability-then-dwp-claimant-blaming-begins-again/

I wouldn’t give up all hope just yet Meg

Labour only have the one term so far and that 170 majority is more fragile than it looks as it’s built on tactical voting and reform/libdems/greens doing much of the heavy lifting towards that large majority - labour would be fools not to have that in the back of their mind

Plus the recent French elections were very very interesting and emphasised that both far right and far left politics and viewpoints are capable of a major shake up

The uk disabled make up the largest uk minority group - but we’ve never really used our numbers effectively (for example the pensioner social group is also made of millions and they’ve successfully created a scenario where political parties know it would be foolish to upset that social group or the backlash would be huge) - political parties has always viewed us as easy targets as we are less likely to fight back (and let that become a self fulfilled stereotype

This labour win is not just a reset for government but also a reset for the disabled community

We need to make it clear off the bat to labour that they will not be able to treat us the same way the tories and we need to muster huge public backlash when the time comes to back that up

I truly believe that strides pip reform plans were the straws that broke the camels back and the disabled community finally pushed over the edge - go on social media and you’ll read the anger………ppl have just had enough and many of the community aren’t giving labour a honeymoon period

labour should be careful what they wish for when they say they want change!

We make up a lot of people but sadly have the habit of "taking a step back", and so dont get our voice heard effectively.

By the time plans are clear it will be "too late".

It is true we dont know what the specific plans are, and Labour wont want to tell us until as late as possible. But it is clear the direction they want to go in.

I am genuinely surprised so many thought Labour wouldnt act like this, I honestly dont know why so many were giving them the benefit of the doubt given Kendall's appointment, Labour introducing ESA when last in government and their election campaign.

”by the time plans are clear it will be ‘too late’”

I think you may of hit the nail on the head

I’m still hoping as labour releases more details (most likely in their first 100 days as starmer said early in the election) the clearer picture will look better

There’s still a week before recess and there are many things Labour could do that would be olive branches to the disabled community - the most obvious one being the minister for disabled ppl situation which somehow labour look like they are messing up more than sunak trying to ditch the brief a few months back (starmer would be stupid if he doesn’t remember or care about the backlash sunak got on this topic)

I’ve been wary on labour the past 2 years and I understand ppl wanting to give labour time - but they’ve yet to earn the trust from the disabled community and the smart action would be to put pressure on labour to do right by this community from day dot. I don’t think they’ve earned our patience yet - esp considering they’ve offered zero to relax the community