Throughout the Paralympics a light was shone on the stripping of benefits from hundreds of thousands of disabled people, many of whom are forced to defend their rights in court. Now, activists who fought running battles to protect advice and representation against massive cuts are launching a campaign to rebuild access to legal aid.
Paralympics games sponsor Atos was accused of profiteering from life and death situations by disability campaigners in Manchester yesterday, as a week of protests against the company was launched.
Hundreds of protestors took to the streets against cuts at Trafford General Hospital on Saturday. Around 300 people attended to demonstrate against planned closures of the A&E and ICU unit. The cuts will also affect the remaining children’s services and end acute surgery.
Trade unionists, campaign groups and community activists are holding a weekend of conferences, street parties and demonstrations across the city to tackle austerity, unemployment and the arms trade.
Salford’s Horizon Primary Care Centre, a provider of specialist healthcare for asylum seekers in the city since 2004, could face closure in an attempt to cut NHS costs.
Human rights lawyers, local MPs and Manchester campaigners Access to Advice have called an urgent meeting to curb the “devastating impact” of the government’s Legal Aid Bill as it approaches its final stages in Parliament.
Plans to criminalise squatting through the government’s Legal Aid Bill could cost up to £790 million, according to new research commissioned by the campaign group Squatters’ Action for Secure Homes (SQUASH).
