News

36 Remploy factories are to close this year, resulting in the compulsory redundancy of 1,752 disabled workers due to a decision to stop funding Remploy and divert the resources to the Access to Work scheme. A labour MP has denounced minister for disabled people Maria Miller as ‘​cowardly​’​ and ‘​shameful​’​ following the announcement.

The closures follow the recommendations in a government sponsored report written in June 2011 by Liz Sayce, now chief executive of Disability Rights UK. It is hoped that the other 18 Remploy factories will prove to be sufficiently financially viable to remain open.

More details from the BBC website

Meanwhile, Labour MP for Copeland Jamie Reed has accused Miller of treating his constituents in a ‘​cowardly, duplicitous and shameful way’​. The attack, in a letter published on twitter by the MP follows Miller’​s cancelling of four separate meetings with Reed to discuss the future of the Remploy factory in his constituency which now faces closure.

You can read the letter here.