Disabled campaigners are today launching a UK branch of international group @CripTheVote ( @CripTheVoteUK ) to put urgent disability issues on the UK General Election 2017 agenda.
CripTheVoteUK is asking supporters to join in online starting 4th May 2017 and be part of the campaign by sharing hashtag #CripTheVoteUK. We are also asking people to share photos with a commitment to “spend 10 minutes to save 10,000 lives” by using their vote this 8 June.
“Right now, disabled people are quite literally voting for our lives,” said Dennis Queen, a campaigner in CTVUK’s network . “We need ALL voters to know this is an emergency for thousands of disabled people and help us fight back.”, she added.
CripTheVoteUK is asking all voters to think about how their vote affects us. We are encouraging disabled people, our friends and families to USE their vote in the General Election: register if you are not already; go postal if it's more accessible.
Disabled voters, our families, the families of disabled children and close allies make up around half of the voting population - enough people to have a big effect on what happens in the General Election.
Eleanor Lisney, disability activist and co-founder of #CriptheVoteUK, said “We must vote if we are to have a chance to survive the coming onslaught against our human rights. Disabled people should make politicians aware that, with 13 million potential voters, we cannot be ignored.”
CripTheVoteUK would expect disability issues to be on the agenda of ALL political parties, and we will share relevant material and generate discussion about the issues affecting disabled people, including children.
We do not promote any party or group, but we are not uncritical. We cannot ignore or condone the fact that disabled people of all ages, and our families, have been grossly harmed by the existing government, which has come under investigation by the United Nations and our own Equality and Human Rights Commission. Both have condemned them for many abuses, including thousands of deaths which could have been avoided.
For example at least 10,000 disabled people have died in the last 7 years (since 2010) within 6 weeks of being declared Fit For Work?, and the government ignored warnings about this in its early stages.
Alex Haagaard, a founding member of @CripTheVoteUK said “The prospect that this government might receive a renewed mandate to continue their harassment, neglect and - in the end - extermination of disabled people frankly terrifies me.”
This press release has been shared by Ekklesia, which is backing #CripTheVoteUK, at the campaign's request.
Available Press Contacts:
* LONDON - Eleanor Lisney 07737480378
* MANCHESTER - Miss Dennis Queen 07970 959791
Key information:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cripthevoteuk/
Twitter @CripTheVoteUK
Website https://medium.com/@CripTheVoteUK
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CripTheVoteUK/
Launch video, hosted by Eleanor Lisney, is here https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1Kh-6djoTTE&feature=youtu.be
An information post for the #10for10000 selfie campaign can be found here: https://medium.com/@CripTheVoteUK/spend-10-minutes-to-save-10-000-lives-this-8-june-1a2a734a276b
Downloadable signs and example photos for the #10for10000 selfie campaigns can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/cripthevoteuk/
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