Crippled: Austerity and the Demonization of Disabled People - Frances Ryan

Category: Misc. Non-fiction, Political
Language: English
Keywords: Austerity Class Economics Neoliberalism Politics

Written by Frances Ryan
Format: MP3

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.

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)