Mark That Disabled Green Party Guy

Farage's Cruelty & Misinformation on Autism: A Call for Compassion and Truth in Autism Awareness Month - by Mark Webster, Disability Officer with The Green Party Telford and Wrekin  As Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month 2025 draws to a close,  the need for understanding, compassion, and factual discussion about autism and the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) system has never been more urgent. Yet, Nigel Farage and Reform UK have chosen this crucial moment to spread harmful and inaccurate narratives about autism diagnosis, compounding stigma and misunderstanding for autistic people and their families across the UK. SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) is a blanket term that refers to conditions or difficulties that make it hard for a person to learn or access education compared to others, such as learning disabilities, physical disabilities, or emotional and behavioral challenges.  Farage’s Harmful Claims In a series of recent statemen...

Child Poverty in Telford and Wrekin: Finally in the Spotlight, But Are We Asking the Right Questions? We're diving into a topic that's been simmering under the surface for far too long: child poverty in Telford and Wrekin. It’s a relief that local press like the "Shropshire Star" and "Telford Live" have finally turned their attention to this pressing issue. But let's get real—it's overdue. And while it's great to see the headlines, are we really holding those in power accountable? The Numbers Speak Volumes First, a quick reality check. Over 10,000 children in Telford are living in families with relatively low incomes. That’s a shocking 27.1% of children under 16 for 2023-24. Just a year ago, this figure was slightly lower at 26%. This isn't just a local blip—since 2010, the UK has seen an increase of 700,000 children living in poverty. Let’s Talk Accountability Mark Webster, the Disability Officer for the local Green Party, flagged this issue...