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Constituent challenges Darren Jones on his comparison of PIP cuts to ‘pocket money’
A disabled constituent interrupted a Bristol North West constituency town hall meeting, raising concerns about MP Darren Jones’ comparison of disabled cuts to cuts in “pocket money”.
When Jones appeared on BBC Politics Live in March, he was questioned about Labour’s cuts to people receiving Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and how, according to a government report, it was expected to take away £4,500 from disabled people on average.
Jones insisted that the report did not highlight additional money provided to support training, skills or work. He then went on to compare the cuts in benefits to cuts in children’s pocket money: “Take, for example, if I said to my kids, ‘I’m going to cut your pocket money by £10 a week but you have to go and get a Saturday job.’
“The impact assessment on that basis would say that my kids were down £10, irrespective of how much money they get from their Saturday job.”
Gigi says that the PIP cuts are making her “terrified” of her own future – photo: Green New Deal Rising
Jones later apologised for his comments saying they “it was tactless and it wasn’t well considered”.
27-year-old Gigi, who receives these benefits, decided to question Jones about his comment during a constituency meeting on Saturday.
In the video, she can be seen holding a banner that reads ‘PIP: lifeline not pocket money’. She then goes on to address the Bristol North West MP: “I’m sorry to interrupt you Darren, but you just announced cuts to affect people like me, disabled people like me. 300,000 people are going to be pushed into poverty.
“You compared PIP to pocket money. It is not pocket money, it is a lifeline. There are people’s lives at risk here, people are going to die.”
Talking about her action, Gigi, who is also a member of youth mental health advocacy group Mad Youth Organise, said: “MPs like Darren Jones are complicit in this cruel proposal to cut benefits to the most vulnerable members of society.
Many were seen holding tombstone-shaped placards at the Bristol Crips Against Cuts protest on Saturday – photo: Rob Browne
She continues: “As a disabled person myself, I am terrified for my own future. PIP is a lifeline, I need it to pay for basics like medicine, transport and healthcare. Instead of punishing people like me, the government should implement a wealth tax on the super-rich, who have seen their fortunes explode in recent years, and invest in proper support and infrastructure for people who are unwell or disabled.”
The action coordinated by Mad Youth Organise was part of a wider campaign called PayUP by youth movement Green New Deal Rising that urges the government to introduce wealth taxes that could fund investment in public services, climate action and act as an alternative to cuts.
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Bristol Crips Against Cuts were lying down in Broadmead on Saturday afternoon, during a demonstration organised against the cuts that was intended to highlight the “brutality and impact of government cuts”.
Placards resembling tombstones shed light on over 335,000 excess deaths in the UK between 2012 and 2019, which they say can be attributed to the spending cuts on public services and benefits.
In the video from Saturday, Gigi can be seen raising concerning questions about cuts as she was escorted outside the meeting room by stewards.
Bristol24/7 has contacted Darren Jones for a comment on the action.
Main photo: Green New Deal Rising
Read next:
- Disabled people gather in hundreds to fight government cuts
- ‘Crips Against Cuts’ protest on College Green
- Cuts to vital social care support criticised
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