Skip to main content

Reeves Speech Conference 2025

An Invisible Workforce 
How Labour’s “Working People” Rhetoric Erases Disabled Voters

If you did see Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ keynote speech at the Labour conference in Liverpool, you’d be forgiven for thinking Britain runs on a very specific type of person. 

The words “working people,” “working class families,” and “hardworking people” were repeated a staggering 34 times.

But for a significant part of the population, the speech wasn't just repetitive—it was a slap in the face. Not once did the Chancellor mention accessible work for disabled adults or young people. Not a single reference to reasonable adjustments. No plan for those with fluctuating conditions, mobility barriers, or neurodivergence.

In short, it was an act of erasure.

Instead, we got productivity rhetoric and a Youth Guarantee scheme that, frankly, sends a chill down the spine. The scheme threatens benefit sanctions for those who “refuse” work placements, with no apparent regard for how disability might make such a placement impossible. This isn’t an oversight; it’s a policy. When a government talks about work but systematically excludes disabled people from the conversation, it’s not neglect—it’s a choice.

And what a bitter, unforgivable choice it is.

The real kicker? Disabled people and their families are the very group that helped put this government in power. Labour’s 2024 election victory was significantly bolstered by support from disabled voters, many living in the party’s heartlands. Places like Telford were crucial to their success. Now, those same voters are watching as their new government, which they trusted to fix a broken system, immediately starts drawing lines that leave them outside.

This puts local MPs like Telford’s Shaun Davies in a glaring spotlight. Despite eloquent lobbying from his own constituents, backed by damning evidence from the likes of Amnesty International and the UN, Davies has categorically backed his government’s policy over the needs of the town's disabled population.

He might want to check the recent polls. A YouGov survey from June 2025 already shows a notable defection of voters from Labour, with dissatisfaction running high among those who feel betrayed on key issues. The message is clear: the loyalty of disabled voters and their families is not a given.

So, we’re left with a painful question for Mr. Davies: will losing his seat because he failed to stand up for the disabled people, families, and carers of Telford be worth his lofty promotion to an unpaid bag carrier? Will he go down in history as Telford's first single-term MP? Even the awful Conservative Lucy Allen managed three terms.

We deserve better than being invisible in speeches and punished in practice. If Labour’s vision of “hard work” doesn’t include us, then it’s not a vision—it’s a warning. And it’s one that voters will not forget.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Farage's Cruelty-Autism

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

Davies:Missing Inaction

Shaun Davies and Labour’s Water Woes: A Tale of Empty Promises and Missed Votes Let’s talk about Shaun Davies, the Labour MP for Telford, who proudly claims to be “Standing Up for Telford.” Well, on the 28th of January 2025, he was notably *not* standing up for Telford—or anyone else, for that matter—when it came to voting on the Water (Special Measures) Bill. In fact, he didn’t show up at all. And he wasn’t alone. Many of his Labour colleagues also failed to turn up, leaving critical amendments to the bill hanging in the balance. So much for standing up for clean water and environmental accountability. The Water (Special Measures) Bill wasn’t just another piece of legislation. It was a chance to address the UK’s ongoing water crisis—a crisis that has seen rivers polluted, habitats destroyed, and water companies raking in profits while customers foot the bill for their failures. The amendments proposed were not just sensible; they were necessary. One key amendment would have ensured th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Hidden Cost of Caring

Hidden Costs Why Our Family Carers Deserve Better Imagine waking up every day knowing that your entire world revolves around caring for a loved one with disabilities. You’re doing everything you can to keep them safe, comfortable, and loved — often at great personal cost.  Now, consider this: nearly half of parent carers in the UK say their income doesn’t even cover basic needs like food and housing. That’s almost 44%. And if your fridge breaks or your bed falls apart? Over 80% of carers say they couldn’t replace essentials without going into debt or going without. It’s heartbreaking, isn’t it? And yet, these are the everyday realities for millions of families. Many are skipping meals just to make sure their children eat, with over half of parent carers doing so.  Meanwhile, a staggering 93% of families want to work paid jobs, but caring responsibilities make that practically impossible. The emotional toll is equally heavy, with 28% of parent carers likely to be clinically dep...
Post a Comment
Read more