Open letter: #NoVoteWithoutWales - stop disability cuts
> Short URL to this page: Bit.Ly/No-Vote-Without-Wales
2nd June 2025
Dear Keir Starmer, Eluned Morgan, Rachel Reeves, Liz Kendall, Stephen Timms, Alison McGovern, Jo Stevens,
The government are running a consultation on disability cuts called the “Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper”.
The DWP have cancelled the only in-person consultation event for the whole of Wales, and do not plan to run another.
They did this after announcing an inaccessible venue at the last minute, in what we believe to be a clear example of disability discrimination.
The consultation was always going to be unfair, given half the proposals - the most important half - were off the table for discussion on day one.
There must be no vote in the House of Commons on disability cuts until a full and genuine public consultation has been carried out in Wales.
Given the government’s complete failure to listen to disabled people, and the DWP’s demonstrated inability to arrange a genuine consultation, any consultation must be run independently by Welsh disabled people’s organisations, also inviting the views of carers. The DWP must attend as observers.
Signed,
Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) Cymru:
Swansea Disabled People Against Cuts
Cardiff and Valleys Disabled People Against Cuts
Disabled People Against Cuts members across Wales
We are glad that the disability cuts consultation event for Wales has now been rearranged in a central location with sufficient notice. But let there be no doubt: like everywhere else, disabled people in Wales would have had to settle for a blatantly discriminatory and inaccessible consultation if we had not, through campaigning, forced the DWP to do better.
Update: our letter to Stephen Timms MP
“We have had no indication from you, or the DWP, whatsoever, in any statement, that you understand that the consultation was organised in a way that was unsuitable for disabled people.”
#NoVoteWithoutWales #TakingThePIP #DPAC #CONsultaSHAM
https://dpac.uk.net/
https://linktr.ee/swanseaDPAC
dpaccardiffandvalleys@gmail.com
Co-signed (by 200+ organisations and individuals):
(Add your signature here! Please also consider signing the petition calling for the cuts to be abandoned. Can you also contact your MP or member of the Senedd and ask them to sign this open letter?)
(We will update this list in batches as signatures come in).
Mike O'Brien - VOICES ADFOCAD
Sioned Williams MS Plaid Cymru
Mark Evans, Carmarthenshire County Unison branch
PLAID CYMRU ANABLEDD
Swansea Trades Council
Gareth Bromhall, TUSC Parliamentary Candidate - Swansea West 2024, GMB Regional Council, Swansea Trades Council Secretary, TUC Cymru General Council - Trades Council Seat (PC)
Joe Fathallah (Secretary, Unite the Union Finance and Legal SE Wales, personal capacity)
Heledd Muir-McCann, PCS Proud
John Williams. TUSC parliamentary candidate for Cardiff East, 2024.
Jacob Lloyd, UCU member
Swansea and West Wales Socialist Party
Medr Cymru's PCS Branch
Autistic UK cic
Dr Davina Darmanin - disabled person and community paediatrician to disabled children
Dee Dickens - Trustee Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales
Adam Johannes, Cardiff People's Assembly
Karen Anne Marie and ladies friendship group peer support organiser Doncaster
AJ Le Brun - Branch Secretary Rhondda Cynon Taff Trades Union Council
Lee Ellery - Welsh independent disability activist
Damian. Joseph Bridgeman. Disability activist.
Beth Winter, former MP for Cynon Valley
Wendy Gane MBE
Ben Golightly, Prospect trade union member, Swansea Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) and Socialist Party
Alec Thraves, Unite & Socialist Party
Swansea Council UNISON
Matthew Shephard, vice-Chair, Swansea Council UNISON & a carer
Swansea Socialist Workers Party
Ceri Deane Clark (MBACP)
Alison Champagne PCS, Delegate to Cardiff Trades Council.
DPAC Cambs and Essex
Norfolk DPAC
Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People
David Chadwick MP
Manchester DPAC
Recovery in the Bin
BRIL (Bristol Reclaiming Independent Living)
Lowri Phillips
Caroline Roberts
Emma Roberts
Jonathan Golding
Phil Coleman
D Gough
Kevin Harry
Hugh D Bryant
Chris Long
Amie Curry
Andrew M Thomas
Kathy Jones. Swansea.
Chris Clark
Patrick Hill
Karen Hill
Chantelle Benjamin
David Rozier
Claire Rozier
Lisa roberts
Dee Montague
Kath Bogdan
Janet Price
Mrs Willing
Georgia Miggins
Isabelle
Steven Bradburn
Christopher Hoggins
John Thompson
Kurona Dargarth
Helen Johns
Becci Smart
Kay
Emer mc allister
Nina Pennell
mrs audra bryan
Willow Holloway
Samira Ageli-Mana
jacqui butterworth
Andrea Heath
Keri George
Rene McDonald
Julieanne Porter
Lisa Edwards
John Ashton
Louise Braithwaite
Bryan Marshall
Ian Jones
Andromeda Davies
Jonathan Gethin
Mark Brain
Ceri Carter
Christine Atkinson
Julia Williams
Avery Oskar Rau-Isaacs
Verity Green
Matthew Ezechi-Obiako
Helen Wylie
Sarah Tooke
vania terzopoulou
Louisa king
Brian Clancy
Geoff Ryan
Liz Screen
Kevin Dupe
Jo Costello
Karen Acton
Nathan Lee Davies
Eilonwy Awen
Louise Marie Holden
Steve Pitman
Christopher Hall
Caroline Roberts
Scott Roberts
Emma Roberts
Claudia Dupé
Elinor meloy
Tansy Rees
Andrew Jenkins
Robyn Tucker
G M Owen
Greg Cullen
Jamie Morse
Erica Thomas
Dan Coast
Louise Evans
Cleo Scrivener
Katie Morgan
Patrick Driscall
Joanna Haigh
Linda Thraves
Max Dupe
Nicola Nugent
Natalie Jarvis
Alexandra Barnes
Georgia Day
Kai Woods
Ginny Woodford
Tim Woodford
Kim Caves
Marilyn Watchorn
Stephe Meloy
Ellie Strong
Mrs Penelope King
Mr Michael J King
Andrew J Doel
Andrea Bateman
Sally Andrew
Tony Kennedy
Jamie Churchill
Robyn Hart
Jamie mccourt
Shirley Locke
Ruberta Bisson
Louise
Georgina Gregory -Thornham
Paul Floyd
David K
Kat Watkins
June Griffiths
Stuart Penny
Zakarite Adan
Lowri Jones
Maurice Deebank
John Ives
Kaez Condon
Karen Gray
Angie Righton
Emma Carmichael
Kayleigh Unitt
Helen McCluskey
Adam.E
Mark Edwards
Sian Denty
Donna Hart
Leona Hussey
Suzana Howlett
Mandy Proctor
Emma Brophy
Gwyn Jones
Denise Walsh
Ann Deacon
Chris Couch
Caz Whiteson
Dominic Towell
Amanda Griffin
Rebekah Lyons
Mr Wallace
And many anonymous signatures in support. Many thanks to you all!
3rd June: we added Jo Stevens to the list of addressees.