Disability

The reality to those disabled, unable to whizz around the track – the vast majority of us – is somewhat different. What with the arbitrary abolition of Incapacity Benefit, under a flawed, unfair medical (where basically if you could smile you were classed as being fit for work), to the prospect of thousands of us losing Disability Benefit and Mobility Allowance, to another laughable, deeply flawed, re-assessment of need, means that the many categories of disabled in our society are being shamefully persecuted.

I only have one leg, with three claw-like usually bleeding toes on the other foot, one eye and other afflictions, yet I regard myself as being physically better off than others who have been so shabbily treated and told that they are fit to work. I do try to keep fit in ways that will not cause me further harm.

Some like myself appealed against the decision of Atos that we were basically NOT disabled, have waited over eight months for a tribunal date – and still we wait!

It really is time that we, the disabled, sent a message to this Government. We are suffering enough without being penalised for being disabled.

The cheering in the stadiums has died away. For many of us it had a hollow ring.

Derek George Atkinson, Newton Aycliffe .