DISABILITY rights campaigners have slammed UK opposition leaders for failing to speak out about the UN’s condemnation of the “human catastrophe” created by Tory policies.

In contrast, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Green, SNP and Labour MSPs have been praised for keeping the issue on the agenda at the Scottish Parliament.

John McArdle, co-founder of Black Triangle, said there was now “irrefutable” evidence that the UK Government was operating as a “rogue government”, and that it was “totally disregarding” its international treaty obligations and showing “contempt for disabled people”. Last week a UN panel slammed the UK for creating a “human catastrophe” for disabled people.

Following a major review, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) said a combination of funding cuts, rights restrictions and Brexit mean its fears about the UK outstrip those of anywhere else it has investigated in its 10-year history.

Committee chair Theresia Degener said the investigation revealed “social cut policies have led to a human catastrophe ... totally neglecting the vulnerable situation people with disabilities find themselves in.”

She said austerity measures were affecting 500,000 people, costing those with disabilities up to £3000 a year and pushing “vulnerable” people into work, despite their needs.

However, McArdle yesterday criticised the reaction of UK opposition leaders, who have failed so far to speak out strongly on the report.

“We have complained bitterly to John McDonnell MP who has registered our grievance that Jeremy Corbyn did not lead with this at this week’s PMQs,” he said.

“We are therefore sincerely grateful to Nicola Sturgeon, Neil Findlay and others in the Scottish Parliament for their extremely powerful statements and leadership in bringing this ‘human catastrophe’ before the Scottish people.

“It’s been great to see such unity over this by SNP, Labour and Greens — with even the LibDems expressing regret.

“With their help we can educate the UK electorate in the humanitarian crisis intensifying in our midst and make the Tories think again about their heartless and barbaric policies that are literally killing some of the most vulnerable people in our society. These are our relatives, friends and colleagues.

“Everyone in Scotland now knows someone who is suffering extreme hardship as a result of these policies which are all reserved to Westminster. It is time they delivered fully on the vow and gave us the powers and the economic levers to manage our own welfare state in the interests of all Scots.”

Linda Kaze, a disabled activist with the disabled-led grassroots organisation Disabled People Against Cuts DPAC Glasgow, criticised Tory MSPs for “defending the indefensible”.

She said Tory spokesperson Jamie Balfour was “nothing less than a Tory human shield for this human catastrophe of his party’s making”.

Referring to the UN’s criticism, Sturgeon said it “shone a light on the inhumanity of the welfare policies of the Conservative government at Westminster, and members of that government should hang their heads in shame day in and day out because of the misery that they are inflicting on vulnerable people the length and breadth of this country. We will do whatever we can to mitigate that.”

She said the Scottish Government was already spending “hundred of millions of pounds” to mitigate “cruel” Tory policies — money she said she would far rather be investing in the NHS and education.

The Scottish Parliament also gave its support to Citizens Advice Scotland’s call to stop the accelerated roll-out of Universal Credit

Evidence from initial roll-out areas shows that, since it was introduced, there has been a 15 per cent rise in rent arrears issues and an 87 per cent increase in crisis grant issues.