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Tressa Burke, the chief executive of the Glasgow Disability Alliance, declined an MBE award from the New Year Honours, citing the unacceptable conditions faced by disabled individuals in the UK. Although the prime minister acknowledged her contributions to disability rights by recommending her for this honour, Burke chose to refuse it. In a letter addressed to the Cabinet Office, she harshly criticized recent government policies, notably the cuts to the Motability scheme announced in the autumn Budget.
In her letter dated 3 December, Burke expressed gratitude for the recognition of her charity’s efforts but explained her refusal: “I feel that I cannot accept a personal honour because disabled people are being so dishonoured at this time.” She went further to describe how disabled communities are being unfairly “demonised, dehumanised and scapegoated” due to political decisions and systemic failures by successive governments. She highlighted concerns such as inadequate benefits and hidden social care funding burdens, while also emphasizing the impact of the cost of living crisis on essential items like heating, clothing, and independent living aids.
Burke received the notification of the proposed honour on 26 November, coinciding with Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ delivery of the Autumn Budget. She acknowledged some positive elements within the Budget, including inflation-linked increases in disability benefits and the removal of the two-child benefit cap. However, these were, in her view, overshadowed by harsh measures that would further marginalize disabled people, deepening poverty and reducing quality of life. Burke also noted the unbalanced approach to social care funding, criticizing the lack of additional resources for adult social care compared to children’s services, which she argued places additional strain on the NHS. Furthermore, she condemned the introduction of stricter assessments for Personal Independent Payments.
Following her letter, Burke received a response from the Cabinet Office on 23 December. The reply expressed gratitude for her communication and noted that the Prime Minister regretted not including her name in the New Year 2026 Honours List. Importantly, the Prime Minister respected her decision to decline the award. Meanwhile, BBC Scotland News sought comment from the Department for Work and Pensions regarding the situation, but the Cabinet Office abstained from commenting on individual honours
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