Catherine Hale

This is the text of a speech I gave at a lobby of parliament organised by John McDonnell MP on 13.02.19 called Do No Harm . Campaigners told MPs how to reduce the appalling damage to disabled people's lives caused by social security cuts and reforms. Catherine Hale   A hostile environment for disabled people The Windrush scandal revealed how government policies can deliberately make life difficult for its citizens. The same hostile environment has been put in place for disabled people, through welfare reforms that have caused us such suffering and harm, and made us into objects of hostility and distrust. The hostility and suspicion was not accidental. As Mo Stewart, who can’t be here today, has demonstrated, its origins can be found in the writings of two scientists, Gordon Waddell and Mansell Aylward, who’ve advised insurance companies and governments on ways of cutting payouts to sick and disabled people.   Their body of work says that most chronic mental and