Catherine Hale

If you’re hosting in-person-only academic conferences, may I say a hearty fuck you!

Yours sincerely,
An academic who pre-COVID needed remote access and couldn’t often get it with hugely marginalising impacts on my and others’ like me capacity to contribute to knowledge

Sue is half the reason I got into disability activism back in 2012 and still try to disrupt the status quo through my work today.
This post is vintage Sue! @suey2y.bsky.social

The Seaside Sting-Op "Bob's" Story

It’s hard to explain to you how filthy politics is. So I thought I’d tell you how it got me to today's post : "The Sting-Op and "Bob's" Story"
open.substack.com/pub/undercla...
Please Read, share and subscribe for free.

Call for Evidence - Committees - UK Parliament Submit written evidence to the inquiry: The Access to Work scheme

The Public Accounts Committee seeks about #AccessToWork by 26 Feb.
committees.parliament.uk/call-for-evi...

Even a v short response with:
* Main impairment needs and agreed AtW support
* How you found accessing AtW (e.g. how quickly/easily)
* Any issues you have ongoing with support
is helpful!

Given the toxicity of social media, a moral question now faces all of us: is it still ethical to use it? | Frances Ryan With so many platforms rife with racism, misogyny and far-right rhetoric, there must be a point where decent people walk away, says Guardian columnist Frances Ryan

When ministers defended Starmer over Mandelson’s links to Epstein this week, they rushed to X - a platform that lets users strip photos of women and girls.

Is it surely time for the government to log off X? And is social media too toxic for all of us?

My col: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

We've got an unexpected gap in our work queue due to shifting research schedules so if you've been keen to use our services to support your research, get in touch!

If you include code 'BSKY13' with your message, we'll automatically deduct 13% if you book between now and end of Friday 13th!

Love this post! I can imagine it all unfolding!

Chuka's Story "The Heir to Blair"

He pushed me down the stairs!
Today's Post : "Chuka's Story. The Heir to Blair"
open.substack.com/pub/undercla... "We don’t want gloss from a front-man in a suit. We don’t want more broken promises. Cool Britannia closed shop following a corporate takeover by Brexit PLC."
RT & Subscribe

Pls read share and subscribe for free, for all the leadership shenanigans. underclass.substack.com/p/the-story-...
#Burnham #Labour

Front cover of report available at https://assets.ctfassets.net/mfz4nbgura3g/7wu3LoA0AQwqvYQVfCiuQd/fb1919402e1775afa23d00cdd8d92e8c/Unemployment_Insurance_report_final_090126__1_.pdf

The government wants to enhance contributory unemployment benefits - we’re good with that

Contribution-based benefits can help the legitimacy of the welfare state. There is a catch though…

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

What are energy-limiting conditions? What are energy-limiting conditions? A core concept for disability inclusion policy and practice Energy Limiting Conditions (ELCs) describe a form of disability where energy production itself is im…

Energy limiting conditions are still largely missing from how we think about disability— despite how common they are.

Here's my new explainer on ELCs, drawing together my previous research, thinking and practice.
disabilityinsight.co.uk/about/what-a...

The Starmer Prophecy Epilogue

Today's Post : "The Starmer Prophecy" Epilogue
"..these Ladies of a certain Age and Experience know that leaders come and go. This one now seems unlikely to succeed" May 2023
open.substack.com/pub/undercla...
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I love this critique of disaggregating food aid and poverty but very surprised not to see disability included as a vector of inequality. What was the reason leaving it out?

Work with us - Academic Audio Transcription Ltd We’re hiring for 2026 Sales & Marketing Assistant (Freelance Jobshare) x 1-2 Are you passionate about intersectional disability rights, disability justice, and accessibility? Do you love having…

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Fascinating story Sue!

Rod's Story Modern Slavery?? In MY town?

Today's Post : Rod's Story
open.substack.com/pub/undercla...
Have you ever wondered if the person serving you is being trafficked? No, nor had I. Until I met Rod.
Please Read, share and subscribe

Does sound like they’re all reading from the same script 😔

The Addenbrookes Infection *Other Trusts may apply

Today's Post : "The Addenbrookes Infection"
How does a Trust become so toxic, it ends with a Letby or an AlderHey? Like this.....
open.substack.com/pub/undercla...
Please read, subscribe and share.
We have to start hearing uncomfortable truths about the NHS, or we can't fix it.

>>> whether they are connected to the BPS lobby and their cognitive-behavioural explanations for all manner of illnesses? I feel we need someone like @georgemonbiot.bsky.social on the case to explore the dark web of connections around these harmful dogmas in medicine 😊

I had no idea about this dogma from some parts of the medical profession that the bowel feels no pain. So shocking. I wonder if the same was said about the womb. Would explain a lot about how endo patients are treated similarly. Do we know who these dogmas originated from and >>>

Maeve's Story "I was hungry and thirsty, were you there? Were you there?"

open.substack.com/pub/undercla...
Sharing with Maeve’s mother @swastrosarah.bsky.social
Via @suey2y.bsky.social

Erasmus' Story "Travel the world and the seven seas......"

Good news about Erasmus! Would you please boost my take on what it meant for poorer kids like me? @willblackwriter.bsky.social @haylesben.bsky.social @catherinehale.bsky.social @chrisbracken.bsky.social @stefbenstead.bsky.social @peterstefanovic.bsky.social

open.substack.com/pub/undercla...

Thank you to @kingscsmh.bsky.social for the opportunity to respond to the recent Get Britain Working report by Sir Charlie Mayfield.
I’ve looked specifically at how the recommendations could make a difference, or not, to disabled people who are locked out of employment due to inflexible job design

If anyone missed the launch event last week for our guidance on more inclusive workplaces for academics with ELC, the recording is now available on our website (along with the guidance) exhaustioneconomy.uk/guidance/ @alisonallam.bsky.social @catherinehale.bsky.social @equihealthfutures.bsky.social

Great blog Sue x

Thanks so much for sharing Carole

Thank you Marie

And if, like me, you struggle with long form reading I recommend the Plain English summary. Gets straight to the point with all the theory stripped out!
Go to Plain English 1 ijdsj.online/current-issue/
#EnergyLimitingConditions #DisabilityInclusion

And why you should include and count people with ELCs in disability research, Work and Health policy, DEI, and so many other areas of relevance to our lives.

Read it to find out why many people with chronic illness prefer and identify with the term ELC over other labels used in policy circles, like ‘fluctuating’ or ‘musculoskeletal’ condition