Labour has today announced Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East South and Saddleworth, as the new Shadow Minister for Disabled People.
Commenting on the appointment, Debbie Abrahams MP, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said, “I am delighted that Marie will be joining the team as our Shadow Minister for Disabled People. Time and again, Marie has spoken up in Parliament for disabled and vulnerable people and she will be a real asset to our team. I look forward to working with her to oppose the Government’s cruel cuts to disabled people and co-develop with disabled people our policy programme through Labour’s Disability Equality Roadshow.”
Marie who is registered disabled as a result of her deafness said, “This Tory Government has consistently neglected the needs of disabled people and has set back the good work the last Labour Government did helping millions of disabled people to live as independent lives as possible. The Government’s new flawed PIP assessment process is seeing thousands of people lose their social security support, with many having Motability cars removed before their appeals, forcing many disabled people out of work. As a disabled woman myself I have a direct understanding of how Government can work to allow every individual to live as full a life as possible.”
Background Information:
Debbie Abrahams used to be a Trade Union shop steward at Pilkington Glass, helping to establish unionise the local workforce ASTMS (Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs), now part of Unite. She was a local Councillor in St. Helens, first elected in 1978, and stood down in 2016, a year after her election to Parliament. She led the Council 3 times: 1985- 1993, 1999 – 2006, then 2010 – 2013, with the most recent term after taking control back from the Liberal Democrats. She was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) medal in the Queen’s 2005 Birthday Honours for services to Local Government. Marie is registered disabled as she is profoundly deaf and can only hear with a cochlear implant.
For further information on Labour’s Disability Equality Roadshow click here
