Doncaster woman among those caught up in House of Commons protest

Police were accused of using “heavy handed tactics” as they blocked disabled protesters from entering the House of Commons chamber while David Cameron was answering Prime Minister’s Questions.
House of CommonsHouse of Commons
House of Commons

In chaotic scenes in Parliament’s Central Lobby dozens of police officers formed a human barrier outside the entrance to the chamber to stop the protesters, including around 10 in wheelchairs, from getting in.

The Metropolitan Police said that one person and their carer were ejected from the Palace of Westminster for disorderly behaviour but insisted that there was no breach of security.

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The protest, organised by Disabled People Against Cuts (Dpac), came as a last-ditch measure ahead of the closure of the independent living fund (ILF), which provides support for people to live in their communities rather than go into residential care.

Protester Mary Johnson, from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, whose daughter Helen is an ILF recipient, accused police of a “disgusting” response to the protest in Parliament.

She said she witnessed one protester being “dragged away by police” and claimed officers had been “pushing wheelchairs around”.

She said: “We tried to get down there because the Government needs to listen. We tried to get into the chamber but we were stopped by police.”

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Paula Peters, from Dpac’s national steering group, said police used “quite heavy handed tactics to separate PAs (personal assistants), who the disabled need to support them ... they are separating PAs from disabled people”.

Speaking outside Parliament, Ms Peters said: “Over 30 people, disabled activists, independent living fund users and Dpac members, have gone in, they made a rush for the House of Commons doors. Police threw themselves on them to stop them from doing that.”

She added that “a lot of these guys have very severe impairments, wheelchairs with their equipment” but were “facing down police officers” .

A DWP spokesman said: “Under these changes, the care and support needs of ILF users will continue to be met, but within a single care and support system.

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“More than £260 million will be made available to former ILF users in 2015/16 and local authorities and devolved administrations will be fully funded to ensure disabled people get the targeted support they need to live independent lives.”