MAD PRIDE PRESENTS…
A DAY OF ACTION TO OPPOSE WELFARE BENEFITS CUTS FOR PEOPLE LABELLED MENTALLY ILL
TUESDAY 26TH OCTOBER 2010
SPEAKERS CORNER, HYDE PARK, 1 PM
BANKERS – HANDS OFF OUR BENEFITS!
The economic downturn caused by the irresponsibility of bankers and big business has led to the new Conservative/ Liberal Democrat merger government to enact the biggest cuts in public services since the Second World War.
Instead of targeting bankers’ bonuses and rich people’s profits, they are hoping to make huge savings by attacking the welfare benefits of vulnerable people unable to work, including people with severe mental health problems. In particular, they would like the public to think that people with depression, anxiety disorders and other mental “illnesses” are malingerers and scroungers – when in fact all of us find it a terrible day to day struggle just to get by.
In George Osborne’s recent emergency budget, he pledged to chuck 360,000 people off of Disability Living Allowance by 2013 – which will plunge over a third of a million vulnerable people, most of whom will have mental health problems, into dire poverty.
This will put lives at risk. Already, 6000 people are recorded as having committed suicide a year in the UK, although the true figure is definitely far higher. The stress caused by the threat of welfare benefits cuts, as well as the impact of the material deprivation that will result, will undoubtedly lead to a huge increase in suicides amongst people with mental health problems – an outcome which we wish to prevent through campaigning and giving each other one-to-one support.
This is no time to cut benefits and services for people labelled mentally ill. Our numbers have swelled significantly over recent years because so many members of the armed forces have gone through two very long and desperately hard wars. Whatever the rights and wrongs of Iraq and Afghanistan, those conflicts have taken an exceptionally heavy toll on the mental health of so many of our brave troops.
More cuts to disabled people’s benefits are promised in George Osborne’s upcoming “shock and awe” spending review to take place on Wednesday 20th October. Added to cuts in housing benefits, the VAT rise, and a whole range of other austerity measures, the future looks grim for the poor and those less able to object or protest – whilst the bankers will get to keep their bonuses.
WE’RE NOT TAKING THIS LYING DOWN!
MAD PRIDE can now announce that, on 26th October 2010, there will be a NATIONWIDE 24 Hour MEDICATION STRIKE.
All UK mental health service users will default on their psychiatric medication for one day, in protest against the coming welfare benefits cuts. Further, all UK mental health service users will not engage with any mental health services whatsoever on that day, in a bid to demonstrate our collective power.
SPEAKERS CORNER – HYDE PARK – DEMONSTRATION
At 1 PM on Tuesday 26th October, UK mental health service users will publicly assemble to REENACT THE OPENING CHAPTER OF MICHEL FOUCAULT’S SEMINAL BOOK “DISCIPLINE AND PUNISH.”
A life-size effigy of a prominent Conservative/ Liberal Democrat merger politician will, at this demonstration, be publicly executed by method of hanging, drawing and quartering, after which the quivering remains of the body will be burnt. We expect this to provide an interesting photo opportunity for the media.
Also expect a variety of other visual and subliminal stunts on the day.
THE BANKERS AND THE POLITICIANS ARE THE REAL “BENEFITS CHEATS.”
