THERESA May was lambasted by a disabled voter who claimed Tory benefit cuts had left her trying to live on £100 a month.
The Prime Minister was on walkabout in Abingdon market yesterday campaigning in Oxford, when she came face to face Cathy Mohan, who has learning disabilities.
In the exchange, May also appeared to confuse Mohan’s disability with mental health problems, infuriating campaigners.
“Theresa, are you going to help people with learning disabilities? I’m being serious, I want you to do something for us,” Mohan said as she spotted the Tory leader.
The Prime Minister tried to tell Mohan that her party had “a lot of plans for people with mental health [problems] in particular” .
Mohan replied:“And learning disabilities, because I’ve got mild learning disabilities and I haven’t got a carer at the moment, and I’m angry. And I would like somebody to help me, because I can’t do everything I want to do.
“I’m talking about everybody, not just me. I’m talking about everybody who’s got mental health and learning disabilities. I want them not to have their money taken away from them and being crippled.
“The fat cats keep all the money and us lot get nothing.”
May tried to interject but Mohan persisted: “Do you know what I want? I want my disability living allowance to come back. Not have PIPs and get nothing. I can’t live on £100 a month. They just took it all away from me.”
Disability living allowance (DLA) is being replaced by the personal independence payment (PIP), which is a much harder benefit to apply for and has a stricter criteria.
Ismail Kaji, from Mencap said: “Many people with a learning disability are scared of changes to their disability benefits and are understandably angry. “I was really worried to hear Theresa May keep talking about mental health, when Cathy said she has a learning disability, which is not anything to do with mental health.
“That makes me think that Theresa May is unclear on the difference, and that is very worrying.”
The Prime Minister has been accused of “running scared” in this election, with a heavily stage managed campaign, that has seen her criss cross the country to stand in rooms with already ardent Tory supporters.
However, she has recently tried to change tactic. Yesterday’s visit to Abingdon market wasn’t a total disaster for the Prime Minister.
One voter said he thought May was the “best of a bad bunch”.
The Prime Minister also took part in a Facebook Live question and answer session, hosted by ITV’s Robert Peston.
Among the scores of questions, May was asked to discuss her experience of type one diabetes, and the Tory leader revealed she injects herself with insulin four or five times a day but urged fellow sufferers not to allow the illness to hold them back from doing what they want in life.
There were around 22,000 questions, including one from Jeremy Corbyn, who asked the Prime Minister if she would agree to a TV debate. May said no, and that it was more important for her to deal directly with voters.
Those watching could leave an emoji icon, around 11,000 people pushed the “angry” button, while 5,000 gave May the thumbs up.
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