Disability News Service

@johnpring.bsky.social

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In-depth reporting on issues affecting disabled people in the UK since 2009. www.disabilitynewsservice.com

John Pring looking grim-faced and holding his book The Department as he stands in a vast, ancient stone hall, with people milling in the background.
A cartoon of a professor in a white coat pointing to a whiteboard which shows his lecture notes on 'how the handicapped can learn to cope and come to terms with being inferior to normal people'. Meanwhile a young, black wheelchair-user in a suit lifts up his lab coat while a disabled woman with red curly hair says: 'It's OK professor - it's just that he's never seen anyone talk out of their arse before!'
Table shows welfare spending as a percentage of GDP, both without the govt cuts announced last week, and with them. For welfare spending without the govt cuts, it shows: 10.9% in 2024-25, 10.9% in 2025-26, 11% in 2026-27, 10.9% in 2027-28, 10.8% in 2028-29 and 10.9% in 2029-30. With the cuts, it shows 10.9% in 2024-25, 10.9% in 2025-26, 11% in 2026-27, 10.8% in 2027-28, 10.7% in 2028-29, and 10.8% in 2029-30.
Five placards lying against a grimy grey wall, saying: 'The bill safeguards aren't safe', 'Two thirds of the public say sort out care first', 'NHS, it's cradle to grave, not til old, inconvenient or expensive', and 'first do no harm'. The words on the fifth are partly hidden.
A book is held up against the background of people milling about at the Conservative conference. At the top of the cover it says 'restricted - policy' but this is scribbled out. Then the title: ‘The Department: How a Violent Government Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence’. The front cover looks like a memo that has been torn into three parts, scrunched up and pieced back together.
A hand holds a copy of a book with a sign saying 'Welcome to Labour Party Conference' in the background. At the top of the front cover it says 'restricted - policy' but this is scribbled out. Then the title: ‘The Department: How a Violent Government Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence’. The front cover looks like a memo that has been torn into three parts, scrunched up and pieced back together.
A book, sitting against a plain background. At the top it says 'restricted - policy' but this is scribbled out. The title: ‘The Department: How a Violent Government Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence’. It looks like a memo torn into 3 parts, scrunched up and pieced back together.
Dave Smith sits on a leather sofa, holding a copy of The Department in one hand.
A copy of The Department: How a Violent Government Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence, by John Pring. The cover is designed as a crumpled and torn up secret memo.
Anne-Marie O'Sullivan sits on a sofa reading The Department
Mo Ahmed sits on a bench in a park, holding a copy of The Department.
Gill Thompson stands outside the front entrance of the Department for Work and Pensions, next to a sign for the visitors entrance, and holding a copy of The Department.
Jill Gant sits in an armchair, holding a copy of The Department: How a Violent Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence
Anabela Sousa beside the grave of her son, which is covered and surrrounded with flowers and pictures. On the headstone is a cartoon image of a man with long, black curly hair raising his arm in the air, and an image of a computer mouse. It says: 'Roy Adrian Curtis/Ayman Habayeb, dearly missed, our shining star, a loving son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend. When it rains look for rainbows, when dark skies look for stars, in our hearts forever, July 1991 - November 2018.'
A pair of hands holding a copy of The Department on a wooden kitchen table.
David Barr sitting in an armchair in the corner of a room, holding a copy of The Department.
Joy Dove sits on a grey sofa holding a copy of The Department, looking determined
Imogen Day holds a copy of The Department while sitting outside at a red wooden table. Other people are in the background, as well as the words 'Don't break your tenderness', written on a wall.
Peter Carré sitting in a wicker armchair in a conservatory, looking at the front cover of The Department.
Picture shows Alison sitting in a wicker chair in a garden, in front of a hedge, holding a copy of The Department: How a Violent Government Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence
A wheelchair-user at a protest holds a banner saying 'benefit cuts are killing us' next to a sign for the Department for Work and Pensions
The UK Government coat of arms, featuring a lion, a unicorn and a crown, sits above the following words: ‘The Department. How a violent bureaucracy killed hundreds and hid the evidence. John Pring.’ It is written on white paper against a black background, but the paper is crinkled and at a slant and has been torn in three.