Government adviser on health, disability and work warns against Equality Act crackdown on employers www.disabilitynewsservice.com/government-a... via @johnpringdns

DWP disputes Access to Work claim made by its own disability minister www.disabilitynewsservice.com/dwp-disputes... via @johnpringdns

Disabled young people still face barriers that stop them taking part in school, college and university on an equal basis with non-disabled people, despite ongoing international calls for inclusive education, according to new government-funded research. www.disabilitynewsservice.com/disabled-stu...

Why the "earned settlement" proposals will harm not help integration and social cohesion (and, I'd add, the economy). This by @colinyeo.bsky.social should be read by every Labour MP... wewantedworkers.substack.com/p/labours-ea...

William Shakespeare, 400 years ago

Ian McKellen performs “The Strangers’ Case” speech from “Sir Thomas More” on Colbert.

"By the end of the two-year period, 94% of participants reported they were housed." A million pilot programs show the same thing: when people are given enough money to afford housing, homelessness ends. Other supports matter, but housing comes first. Not policing. Not moralizing. Homes.

Labour's earned settlement proposals: destroying a British success story open.substack.com/pub/wewanted...

Labour's changes to immigration rules, including potentially applying them retroactively, would be some of the most draconian anti-immigration policies in decades. They're the hostile environment on speed. This is pure cruelty as policy, with absolutely no merit to them archive.today/2026.02.03-2...

Journalists should be asking the Labour candidate at the Gorton & Denton byelection - and any senior Labour figures who turn up to campaign - whether they support these proposals or not. If they are genuinely serious about rejecting Goodwin/Reform's racism and bigotry, there's only one answer..

All avoidable deaths if only DWP followed their own procedures DWP actions blamed in string of claimant deaths, coroner reports reveal morningstaronline.co.uk/article/dwp-... #morningstaronline

This from @jeevunsandher.bsky.social on Goodwin's ethnonationalism is fine AFAIG. But rings hollow unless he addresses his own party's plan to change the rules to deny settlement/citizenship to people who came here in good faith and work/have families here. www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...

One bit of good news, at least. This is the end of the 2 child limit policy. A nasty and vindictive policy aimed at punishing the poorest people.

Nothing like enjoying your slightly cheaper pint while imagining the toddler crying from hunger that paid for it.

The authors "estimate that by 2025, the Brexit process had reduced UK GDP per capita by 6 to 8 percent, investment by 12 to 18 percent, employment by 3 to 4 percent, and productivity by 3 to 4 percent. These effects grew gradually over time." www.nber.org/202602/diges... What a total disaster... 🇪🇺🇬🇧

Disabled people have a poverty rate 8 percentage points higher than people with no disability. 🗣️ Hear Lead Analyst @datataha.bsky.social set out some of the additional structural barriers that disabled people face, and why the government must increase their support. 👇

MPs will soon debate the annual benefits ‘Uprating Order' on how much benefits rise this year. But shockingly, support has never been set according to any logical calculation, like ensuring Universal Credit covers life's essentials - which @jrf-uk.bsky.social estimates cost £120 a week🧵1/4

Incredible to brag about the modest rise in the Universal Credit standard allowance without even hinting at the *huge* cut - nearly 50% - to Universal Credit's disability element from this April www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Kyiv residents share photos and videos on social media showing their freezing apartments and how they are trying to keep warm.

The general sense of the news reports from the United States is that the federal government has realised it has gone too far too soon in being filmed freely killing civilians in the streets. Public opinion is just not ready for that yet.

Government proposals weaken rather than strengthen contributory unemployment benefits for disabled people by Craig Berry wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/government-p...

Poverty is deepening. 🔎 Our #UKPoverty2026 report was launched this morning. People in very deep poverty now make up the biggest group of people in poverty, at 6.8 million people. This is unacceptable for the fifth richest country in the world, and it has consequences.

Please please vaccinate your child against measles. This is from our @independentsage.bsky.social report from last year, led by @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social & @helensalisbury.bsky.social independentsage.org/wp-content/u...

NEW: Suella Braverman has defected to Reform UK, shocking the many people who were sure that she had already.

Most households currently subject to the two-child limit have at least one adult in work. Of the minority of households not in work, more than nine-in-ten have a child under three or a disabled family member with additional care needs, making any return to the labour market challenging.

Monsters open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...

As we bear witness to what is happening in Minneapolis, remember that those who are documenting it -- citizens and journalists alike -- are showing true bravery and moral courage. This documentation will matter one day, mark my words. asharangappa.substack.com/p/the-power-...

The official policy of the government of the United States of America is that they will murder anyone they want, that they will tell any lie necessary to justify that murder, and that no one who resists them has any rights they are bound to respect. /1

By who? Who shot the person dead? You saw the video. We all know a federal agent shot a man dead who was prone on the ground. Also, it's not "according to officials." It's according to verified video seen with your eyes. Not saying what anyone can obviously see with their eyes is a form of lying.

Former New Labour guy Alan Milburn here in today's Times. Joins Farage in citing 'SEND diagnoses' which don't actually exist. Would love to see data on the bigger claim. Anyway, this is how "overdiagnosis" is being woven through govt policy. Getting support at school = on the fast-track to the dole

Three errors here. First, in confusing some kind of SEND classification (20%) with EHCPs (5.5%). Secondly in assuming it gives automatic right to DLA. Though there is a strong ECHP/DLA overlap. Third in assuming that those moving to DLA to PIP never work (it's not an out of work benefit).

French authorities ban entry of British far right activists www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Unemployment Insurance is a new benefit merging new style JSA and ESA. Much to commend eg higher payments compared to JSA. But for disabled people, this could end long-term support without even offering the same short-term gain. While other disability benefits are cut too. Not a great start!

NEW: Planned welfare reform could see big benefit cuts for disabled people who can't work, Citizens Advice has warned The government wants to replace long-term ESA disability benefits with a new, much more time-limited benefit called Unemployment Insurance (UI) www.bigissue.com/news/social-...

I still have vivid and enduring memories of planes bringing fallen British soldiers from Afghanistan to Brize Norton, about every second night

These changes have nothing to do with helping people. This is solely about making it impossible for people to claim social security benefits & thus will exacerbate their illnesses which will ultimately cost the state much more than the Govt thinks will be saved ....

Long-term claimants of employment and support allowance could be moved over to a new, time-limited disability benefit – equating to cuts.

Disabled people could face benefit cuts – even if they cannot work According to CAB, more than 80% of its advisers say that people currently eligible for the highest rate of the ‘new style’ employment and support allowance (ESA) –

Our frontline evidence exposes the current reality of the labour market for many disabled people, who are routinely shut out of employment Our research also offers early indications of where interventions could help address these issues shorturl.at/l6YhB /4

The Equality Act should protect disabled people at work But @citizensadvice.bsky.social supported 5,393 people with health-related job discrimination in 2025 - roughly one every 1.5 hours Mine and @victoria-anns.bsky.social's new report digs into the barriers our disabled clients face at work /1

Disabled person challenges council tax increase after ESA to UC migration dpac.uk.net/2026/01/disa...

I spent the morning at the San Antonio immigration court. It’s out of control. Crawling with ICE - arresting legal immigrants showing up for court appearances. I asked one officer who they are prioritizing. His answer: everyone. I need to share with you what I saw.

This is really the tip of the iceberg. When mismanagement of all claims by DWP will be addressed? MPs criticise behaviour of senior DWP officials over carer’s allowance scandal www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Remember the Soviet joke about a man who always goes to look at the papers but never buys one. The news agent asks him what he's looking for and he says, "An obituary" and the news agent points out that they're always in the back section. "This one won't be".

Reminder of the spectacularly poor judgement of these people

I don't know whether UK will rejoin the EU during my lifetime but Trump did the best he could to make it happen. Thank you Don

What makes this statement by Emmanuel Macron so unprecedented is, for the first time, a leading European ally is equating Trump with Putin. “No intimidation or threat will influence us - neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland, nor anywhere else in the world.” EVERYTHING has changed.

Just guessing here, but I suspect the White House is pushing so hard for wars of conquest on multiple fronts because they see their support collapsing ahead of the midterms and worry they won't get another shot. An example of how tyrants become more dangerous as they get weaker, not less.

It took me a long time to leave twitter. I don't apologise for it. It was then an opportunity to create a powerful movement, a community, in the defense of and advocacy for disabled people. And we were quite good at it (I think). It is over now

Wait to see what is happening to people claiming UC who have a disability. The government is cutting it by about 50% for new claimants from April 2026 The Guardian view on long waits for disability benefits: the system should not push people closer to poverty www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...