Keith Rushworth
8 April 1998
Dear Friend/Supporter/Enquirer,
HUNGER STRIKE AGAINST THE ALL-WORK TEST
I'm very sorry this has to be a standard letter. I would love to write personally to everyone who gave their moral or practical support during my hunger strike, but energy and time do not permit. The encouragement I received from everyone who contacted me was both very welcome and very valuable. I hope this letter answers any queries you may still have - if not, please get in touch with me again.
In case you don't already know, I began eating on 16th November after 40 days. The first week of eating was worse than not eating, and towards the end of the first week I developed kidney pains, but these turned out to be the result of a back problem caused by a lot of laying down and a little sitting - and not much else! Physiotherapy improved that dramatically. I now have more energy than is normal for me; the fast has done me no lasting harm, and may have done some good. I am standing in the Local Elections and need some help - see below.
If you have a problem with your benefit situation, you shouldn't give up. If you haven't already done so, contact your local CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau) or D.I.A.L.(Disability Information and Advice Line), and /or your MP If that fails, try them all again, being more forceful. Give your story to the local papers, and the disability media. If you're still stuck try Orchard Me Centre (regardless of where you live). Think about a hunger strike; or "parking" yourself in the waiting room of your local BAMS centre and refusing to move. Remember the Government's real aim is not simply to get disabled people off benefit, but to get them off benefit quietly. Their back-door abolition of benefits can only continue if people accept it without protest. Let me know how you get on. Addresses.
I enclose a copy of a briefing I sent to all Labour MPs during the hunger strike, a copy of Disability Times, and an article on reasons for the increasingly harsh approach to disabled people.
The big question is where we should all go next as regards campaigning. Since I stopped the fast it has become clear, from various reports and the Government's own Green Paper, that New Labour is determined to cut spending on disability across the board. The Government itself clearly admits that it is willing to "think the unthinkable", and also to do it. Actions, of course, always speak far louder than words, and the Government's present actions speak very loudly indeed: while the All-work Test (AWT) continues to force disabled people off Incapacity Benefit, the "Benefits Integrity Project" (BIP) is robbing severely disabled people of their Disability Living Allowance. The suffering being caused is immense. All in the name, apparently, of cutting the Social Security budget, which is already the lowest in Northern Europe! Clearly the need for active campaigning is far greater than it has ever been, so I give some thoughts on campaigning below.
This is more a matter of the way disabled people and their relatives see themselves than a matter of specific organisations. (There is already an organisation called "Disability Alliance" ). The present problems are firstly, that disabled people prefer not to think of themselves as disabled at all, and secondly, that when they do apply that label to themselves they tend to do it in terms of their specific disability, be it ME, emphysema, depression, accident injuries, heart problems, or whatever. This has resulted in lots of people thinking their particular disability is targeted by the Government through the All-work Test, when in reality practically all+ disabled people feel that way. Particular disabilities are not targeted by the test - all disabilities, and therefore all disabled people, are. If all disabled people and their carers would take this to heart, there would be a constituency of millions of people to oppose New Labour's attacks on the disabled.
There are two main ways by which such an alliance or movement might be formed and organised. One is through various media for disabled people, the other is by groups working together on issues locally.
On the national media front the Disability Times (DT) stands out. It runs on a shoestring, has been published for less than three years, but has reached a circulation of 6,000 or so already. And it is run by disabled people, for disabled people in general, and it is fully independent. With an increasing circulation it could play a major role in informing and uniting disabled folk. The subscription of £10 for 12 issues may put a lot of people off, but 12 issues run over about 18 months, so this is only about £6.50 year. I think money for D.T. is money well spent - you may feel skint, but if this government is not stopped you may find out what "skint" really means! Campaigning costs money - we have to put ours on the line. We can't expect someone else to fight our corner for us. (Disability Times do have a commitment to send the paper to disabled people free - but they don t have the cash to do this on a big scale. If you really can't find £10, what about £5, or even just the postage [£2.40] for 12 issues?)
There are other national disability newspapers. "Disability Now", published by Scope, has much greater financial backing, but a particular emphasis on cerebral palsy and less campaigning edge. It is definitely worth reading and is free to disabled if you send evidence of your disablement (I'm not sure how you do that if you have been cut off benefit by the All-work Test and therefore can't photocopy your benefit book! Ring them and ask!). Also "From the Edge" on BBC2, Tuesday, 7.30 pm and "Link", Channel 3, Sunday morning at 11.45. I can't track down any Radio programmes at the moment. "Does He Take Sugar" was on each Thursday until recently.
Another newspaper, WSN Action, is also worth reading. "WSN" is the Welfare State Network, a grouping which has a lot of links to "Old Labour" (or "True Labour") and is concerned with maintaining the Welfare State in general - Health Service, Education, Unemployment benefits, Pensions, job creation, etc. as well as the disability issues.
On the local alliance front, this is a matter of people talking to each other within, between and outside of disability groups, and perhaps forming new ones, and then campaigning together. Such local campaigns would not merely be worthwhile - they are the absolute essence of any movement for change. Good local campaigns going on around the country almost automatically build into a strong national campaign. All it takes is for people to hack away at their own home patch - you don't need to depend on, or wait for, anybody else. Also, as far as the media are concerned, it isn't too difficult to get local media coverage - just tricky - whereas national coverage is nearly impossible. I think a realistic target is to aim for local coverage and treat any national coverage as cream on the cake . Gradually existing groups concerned with disability, and new groups, and individuals, should come together into formal local alliances. (I hope that any new group will not be called an "alliance" unless it is genuinely an umbrella for several other groups, and is campaigning on disability issues in general.)
1. Write to your MP - if a group, to all MPs in your area.
If you don t know the local address, House of Commons, London, SW1A 1AA is fine. You should know something about the tactics of letter writing. An initial letter generally gets a "noddy reply": one which ignores most of the points you've made and tells you very basic information as though you arrived on Planet Earth only two days ago! So don't exhaust yourself with long letters - just make a point or two and then take your MP to task on their reply - and then again on that reply. To keep up a correspondence all you need is the ability to write and pay for stamps (not many - the replies come slowly) and to have some idea of what's going on with disability issues. Hence the desirability of getting a paper like Disability Times. Try to ask your MP questions that put him or her on the spot such as "What are you doing to stop the Benefits Integrity Project?" and "Will you vote for better funding for disabled people?"
2. Letters to Newspapers
It's years since I had one published. But then, I haven't written many. I'm sure there's a much higher chance with the locals. If you've got patience and stamps, just keep on at this. At least you will be getting through to the people who run the media, which encourages them to publish other news or views on disabled issues. As with MPs, be brief -- journalists don't read a lot! Groups can also do letter campaigns.
3. Press Releases
You want the media to know about and publish what you're doing - you do this with "Press Releases". A Press Release is just a piece of paper with words "Press Release" at the top! Mostly you send them to the Newsroom of whichever paper or T.V. station you're contacting. If you know or get to know a particular journalist, you can send it to them directly. You need to gather addresses and phone numbers for all your local media, and perhaps the nationals as well. A fax machine is a real boon - quick, instant, saves postage, probably has more impact at the "Newsroom". As with letters, be brief in what you write. You can also ring them.
4. Hunger Strikes
Well worthwhile. The Government's intention to scrap IB is an invitation to me to do another. I've taken no decision yet. A mother of two in Scotland threatened her MP with a hunger strike and got most of her benefit restored within a week! She never even missed a biscuit! Hunger strikes have much greater impact if the issue is not personal, but a protest against general injustice. I would be very happy for anyone who feels they might be able to undertake this form of protest to contact me - there's a lot of information I can impart to make the experience less unpleasant and more effective.(If you have anorexia or serious mental problems don't even think of this.) Don't threaten to hunger strike unless you mean it.
5. Demonstrations
Something of a forgotten art! When I was young I seemed to be scooting off to Trafalgar Square to protest about genocide in Bangladesh or Apartheid in South Africa all the time. I lived in London, which helped a lot. These demonstrations were always attended by tens of thousands, but those numbers are not necessary for local demonstrations. A few dozen, or even half a dozen, may be enough, especially when disabled and wheelchair users are included. Leeds sites might include the Quarry Bank Building where BAMS National HQ is, and the BAMS Test Centre at Lawnswood. Other areas will have their own possibilities. If you can handle a screwdriver, spend a few pounds at B & Q on plywood and timber to make some good placards.
6. BRAME Lobby of Parliament
This takes place on 14 May at 2pm. Details from BRAME (Blue Ribbon for Awareness of M.E.). Worth supporting if you possibly can.
7. Wear a Blue Ribbon
Wearing a Blue Ribbon for ME awareness is BRAME's original idea, from a severely affected ME sufferer. The idea is seminal, inspirational, simple, practical, cheap, easy and powerful. In short, any person or organisation involved with ME should back this initiative. You can make your own ribbon, but beautifully made ones from BRAME are only 5p. Go for it!
8. Civil Disobedience
Disabled people shouldn't have to think about this on as a way to secure basic humanitarian treatment. But the Government is thinking the unthinkable so we have to. It's very much down to what individuals or groups feel able to do. A recent disabled protest outside Downing Street with blood-red paint drew a lot of media attention nationally. There were quite a lot of arrests, but nobody was charged. D.A.N. (Disability Action Network) are the "experts" in this. They have some local groups around the country.
9. "Name and Shame" MPs
One, or a few, house-bound or nearly house-bound people could set up a register of MP's views on disability issues. They would need to work with people in every constituency by post, or phone, or email. These constituency people would discover their MP's views by writing to them, and send the information back to the "Register Keeper", who would then send out summary information to the media and other groups.
10. Stalls
In shopping centres. Collect Petition signatures. Offer leaflets. Talk to people!
11. Local Elections
I have decided to stand in the Local Elections on a "Disability Concern" Ticket. I have spoken to all the small parties with a view to making alliances. The local Green Party have responded positively, but the Liberal Democrats seem not to be interested in any alliance unless it is with New Labour. Locally there is also a Liberal Party which did not join up with the Social Democrats when the Liberal Party did nationally. At the time of writing my discussions with them have not reached a conclusion.
I think that action in elections is something which many people should consider. The move of both the Labour and Liberal Democrat parties to the right has left a political vacuum. It is impossible at present to see how this vacuum will be filled, but it needs to be filled quickly. Any action with regard to elections helps to move this process along. Further, elections are an excellent way to draw attention to issues.
Standing in local elections is quite easy. You need to contact your local Electoral Registration Office, who will give you the necessary forms. Ten signatures from registered electors in a particular ward makes you a Candidate. From there on it's just a matter of how much campaigning you and others are able to do. Even if you only have your name on the Ballot Paper with a description such as "Against Disability Benefit Cuts" it is worth while. If you are able to produce some copies of a small leaflet and hand them out in a local shopping centre, even better! if there are enough of you to consider door to door leaflet delivery or canvassing, better still !
Unfortunately the deadline for the forms to be in for the next local elections has just passed, but you can start planning now for next year. If you would like to know more about this please get in touch with me.
With regard to my own campaign I need as many people as possible to help with delivering leaflets. I would also welcome donations in order to print a decent quantity.
12. Computers
Can be very useful - if you have one, or someone else does. They're good for keeping names and addresses and printing labels for a newsletter. Good for composing press releases, etc. Also you can make excellent posters and placards by specifying "tile" when you print something - a big poster will come out on 4 or more A4 sheets - then you use wallpaper paste to stick them to a board. Also, with a modem, you can send lots of faxes from a computer automatically!
13. Other Ideas
There are lots of other ways to campaign. Talk to others. Use your imagination!
In General . . . .
try to link particular issues with wider issues, and also wider issues back to particular examples.
e.g. Link lack of funding for ME Research to general underfunding of disability, or Government plans to cut future disability spending to the suffering already being caused by the AWT and BIP.
In Short. . . .
1 Read, watch, listen to disability media to keep informed
2 Talk to other people and groups
3 Do whatever you can to publicise the issues.
4 Bring unity wherever possible between groups and individuals
Don't give up! There are an estimated 6.5 million people with some level of disability in the U.K. Disability is not a minority problem, but a challenge to virtually every family in the country. We are not alone!
Yours,
Keith Rushworth