Major is urged to clear way for Bill on disability
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.John Major should insist that five Tory backbenchers withdraw controversial blocking amendments to the Bill outlawing discrimination against disabled people, a Labour MP demanded yesterday.
The Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill resumes its Commons Report Stage on Friday but the continuing debate on 80 government- drafted amendments will ensure that the measure is 'talked out'.
The five MPs who put down the amendments, particularly Lady Olga Maitland, the MP for Sutton and Cheam, came under intense fire last week for putting them down as if they were their own.
A letter to the Prime Minister yesterday from Alf Morris, Labour MP for Wythenshawe, invokes Mr Major's endorsement of less confrontational politics in the wake of John Smith's death. The best tribute to Mr Smith's memory would be to 'respond to John's condemnation of the shabby tactics used to obstruct the progress of the Bill'.
John Monks, TUC general secretary, also appealed for more parliamentary time for the Bill in a letter to Nicholas Scott, the Minister for Social Security and Disabled People, who last week came under fire for misleading the Commons over departmental involvement in the amendments. At least 332 MPs, including 36 Tories, support anti- discrimination legislation, according to a TUC poll.
Mr Monks said: 'I am concerned about the manner in which disabled people and their allies were encouraged to believe that their objective of statutory protection from negative discrimination was shared by a government which was in fact quietly undermining the only concrete proposal for such protection.
'This betrayal is much more significant than the issue of parliamentary privilege.
'It is, however, possible to remedy the damage which has been done to the regard in which the Government is held by disabled people. I urge you to arrange for sufficient parliamentary time to be made available for the Bill to complete its Report Stage.'
Mr Morris, a campaigner for the disabled, yesterday highlighted the Commons approval given to a private member's motion moved by Sir John Hannam, Tory MP for Exeter, on 29 April. The motion called on the Government to find time for the Bill to complete all its Commons stages by next Friday so that it could move on to the Lords.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments