Crippled

Austerity and the Demonization of Disabled People

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Crippled

By: Frances Ryan

Narrated by: Georgie Wyatt

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About this listen

Crippled is a damning indictment of a safety net gone wrong, and a passionate demand for an end to austerity measures hitting those most in need.

In austerity Britain, disabled people have become the favourite target. From social care to the benefits system, politicians and media alike have made the case that Britain's 12 million disabled people are a drain on the public purse. In Crippled, leading commentator Frances Ryan exposes the disturbing reality, telling the story of those most affected by this devastating regime. This includes a paralysed man forced to crawl down the stairs because the council wouldn't provide accessible housing and the young girl with bipolar forced to turn to sex work to survive. Through these personal stories, Ryan charts how in recent years the public attitude towards disabled people has transformed from compassion to contempt: from society's 'most vulnerable' to benefit cheats.

Civics & Citizenship

Disability Awareness

Political Science

Politics & Government

Social Policy

Social Sciences

Scary

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Critic reviews

"Frances Ryan reminds us what real journalism looks like." (Ken Loach)

"A blistering polemic, full of telling details." (Alice O Keefe, Guardian)

"I wish I could force everyone in the UK to read this book." (Rob Delaney)

Most relevant

I've come to this volume after listening to a series of 'ear opening' books on the miseries meted out to migrants/ Windrush travellers/ deprived communities. All the same undermining processes of Government demonisation, misrepresentation, economies of truth, lies, deceit and vindictive politics, false economies are used but this time targeting the 'Crippled'. You could easily believe that there's a right wing conspiracy to undermine the provision of social care / health care / workers rights. Beneath all this are the untold hundreds of thousands of individuals and families who endure constant stress and misery as they literally struggle to survive. Riveting and depressing listening. Excellent narration. So sad that a book like this had to be written.