A BBC presenter has slammed the Government‘s plans to crack down on benefits and push for unemployed people to find jobs.
Ade Adepitan, one of the first physically disabled television presenters in the UK, contracted polio as a child, subsequently causing damage to his legs that left him wheelchair bound.
However, the 50-year-old took to social media last Sunday to launch a plea for the Government to realise that their new policy “is discrimination” and branded the country “inaccessible”.
This comes after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced plans last Wednesday (22 NOV) to stop benefits for those who don’t look for work within a six-month period.
Video shows Adepitan in his wheelchair at Glasgow Central train station as he explains: “So I’m about to say bye-bye to Glasgow.
“I had one night here, had a quick job and then I’m going back to London. But before I go, I just want to make a quick political point actually.
“Don’t switch off, don’t get bored, I think this is important.”
He continues: “I heard the government basically talking about getting people back into work, taking them off benefits if they refuse to go.
“My thought is what about disabled people who can’t get into work because we haven’t made a transport system that’s accessible and we haven’t made enough of the country accessible.”
Adepitan questions: “Why don’t we start sorting out the infrastructure first before we start demonising people? Just saying, alright.”
Adepitan posted the video to social media yesterday (SUN), with the caption: “Help get the message out to the UK Government that this is discrimination.
“You can expect people with disabilities to get out and get to work when your public transport system still doesn’t meet requirements for people with disabilities to do so. Wild.”
The clip has since received over 8,000 likes and more than 190 comments from users echoing the former wheelchair basketballer’s views.
One said: “I can’t tell you how often I’ve been told to wait for the next bus or train because the one other wheelchair spot is already taken.”
Another replied: “But that would require forward thinking and our government aren’t capable of forward thinking. They would rather just keep trying to divide us all.”
A third agreed: “The Government don’t want to do any hard work like that. They would rather point their finger at people with disabilities and call them lazy etc.”
Another wrote: “I realised how bad accessible places are when I started pushing a pram and it was an eye-opener how bad must it be for anyone with limited mobility.”
A fifth commented: “I completely agree, they don’t seem to have thought of the effects or support people would need.”
