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Labour to team up with the makers of ‘I, Daniel Blake’, to demand ESA cuts are scrapped at Autumn Statement

The Labour Party has teamed up with the makers of Ken Loach’s new film I, Daniel Blake, to demand that the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, scraps the Government’s plans to cut Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) payments for sick and disabled people by £29 a week at the Autumn Statement later this month.

Labour will encourage its members to go and see I, Daniel Blake at special screenings taking place in cinemas on Thursday 17^th November, just under a week before the Autumn Statement in Parliament.

Labour MPs are due to attend screenings across the country with senior politicians including Jeremy Corbyn MP, John McDonnell MP, Debbie Abrahams MP and Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, already confirmed to take part.

At the end of the film showings, Labour members across the UK will take part in a photo opportunity with banners and posters urging the Government to scrap the planned ESA cuts. The aim is to mobilise people to lobby MPs and the Chancellor to scrap these brutal cuts.

John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, said:

“In the run up to the Autumn Statement Labour will be pushing the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, to scrap these cruel ESA cuts to sick and disabled people.

“I, Daniel Blake was one of the most moving films I’ve ever seen so I’m very pleased we have teamed up with Ken Loach to urge people to go and watch it at these special screenings taking place before the Autumn Statement.

“We’re living in an I, Daniel Blake society as a result of having the Tories in power for six years. The Government should be caring for sick and disabled people, not making their lives worse.

“Labour will be demanding that the Government scrap these appalling cuts to the most vulnerable in our society at the Autumn Statement.”

Ken Loach, Director of “I, Daniel Blake”, said:

“We can barely believe that this government will make future cuts it knows will hurt sick and disabled people. £29 will be taken from Employment and Support Allowance. Go to the foodbanks Mr Hammond, have the guts to face the people you treat with such conscious cruelty. If you don’t know the suffering you cause you are not competent to be in Government. If you do know, you are not fit for the job.

“Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell are right to do all they can to prevent this from happening.”

Debbie Abrahams MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said:

“I, Daniel Blake shines a spotlight on the real consequences of this Tory Government’s punitive sanctions regime. The Tories’ cuts to Employment and Support Allowance will strip £1,500 a year from disabled people, pushing many more into poverty.”

“I want to transform our social security system to ensure there are no more Daniel Blakes.”