PEMBROKESHIRE People’s Assembly Against Austerity are organising a demonstration outside Stephen Crabb’s office on Saturday, April 2.

Organisers have said they plan for the demonstration to take place between 1100HRS and 1300HRS in Market Street, Haverfordwest.

Activists will be demanding that Mr. Crabb recognises what they view as “public opinion” and resigns as Pembrokeshire Mencap’s patron.

Stephen Crabb recently voted to cut ESA by £30 for some disabled people.

Despite not going forward with the announced cuts to PIP and announcing there will be no further welfare cuts, Mr Crabb has stood by the cut to ESA appearing to suggest that placing claimants on the lower JSA rate would be to their benefit, but failing to take account of the purpose of ESA to support those with additional support needs for finding work.

Organisers say the reason for the demo is that as there has been no statement from Stephen Crabb’s office, nor Mencap Pembrokeshire indicating that Crabb is to resign as Mencap patron. They say that they have no other option but to press ahead with the demonstration.

An online petition calling for Mr Crabb to resign as patron of Mencap Pembs is close to reaching 12,000 signatures

Jim Scott, who started the petition told The Herald: “There is now overwhelming pressure from all quarters for Crabb to resign this post. The Mencap Facebook page has been inundated with comments requesting that Crabb be removed as their patron.

“A great many people have written and emailed Mencap locally as well as nationally.

“Many people have even said that they will be withholding their donations until this matter is resolved.

“The petition continues to grow.

“Public pressure as well as the efforts of DPAC (Disabled People Against Cuts) has already forced four MP’s to resign their patronages of other disability charities.

“It is just a matter of time now. Mr Crabb simply cannot and will-not get away with voting in Westminster for cuts such as the ESA cut which is a ‘done-deal’ now for Mr Crabb and cannot be ‘undone’ .

“Yet then masquerade as some kind of champion for disabled people while back in Pembrokshire, his game is up! These cuts have already caused widespread poverty, destitution, homelessness and many suicides among our most vulnerable and deserving members of society. Crabb, and all other ESA voting MP’s simply have to go.”

Romayne Phoenix, National Co-Chair of The People’s Assembly said: “With Iain Duncan Smith’s resignation and the government forced to backtrack on Osborne’s disastrous budget, there are many more British people now recognising the hypocrisy of having Tory patrons of these disability charities & charities which focus on care.

“The pressure is on – and Crabb’s appointment looks to have been a mistake made in a hurry that the `Tories will regret for a long time.”

Natalie Bennett – Green Party leader has publically signed the petition. Bennett was joined in by Alice Hooker Stroud – Wales Green Party leader, Chris Overton – Withybush Hospital campaigner and Kay Dearing of SOS (Save our Sixth Forms Pembrokeshire).

Organisers say that organisations who have been invited to Saturdays demonstration include, National People’s Assembly Against Austerity, DPAC (Disabled People Against cuts) and other local disability groups, Wales Green Party, Plaid Cymru, The Labour Party, The Green Party, The Lib-Dems, Plaid for Pride, Welsh Green Pride, TUSC and others.

Last week Stephen Crabb MP posted on his Facebook page following an act of criminal damage to his office in Haverfordwest.

He wrote: “A few days ago my constituency office was vandalised in response to my recent vote to approve changes to the Employment Support Allowance (ESA). This was not an isolated attack as other MPs offices were targeted by individuals involved in a social media campaign.

“I’m disappointed that some individuals choose to do this instead of making an appointment to see me to discuss their concerns. Sadly all these individuals achieved on Saturday was to create an inconvenience to my office staff, local residents, and the Police. There are lots of ways to communicate to convey concerns but criminal damage just isn’t an option.

“There has been a lot of miscommunication about this vote which I want to put right. A decision was taken by MPs to change the benefit awarded to a specific group of people who receive Employment Support Allowance. These people are in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) and they do have a disability or illness but are considered able to work with support in the future.

“The overwhelming majority of people in this group say they want to work, and so I think it is right that we do all we can to help them get back into work. The changes mean that this group will now access the same level of benefit as those on Job Seekers Allowance, but will be given better tailored support to help them into employment. It doesn’t affect anyone who is already claiming ESA, they will receive the exactly the same amount of benefit as they do now.

“The truth is that not all disabilities prevent people from working. A great many disabled people get enormous fulfilment from being in work. They would be extremely offended not to be considered equal in the job market, and this benefit change means that more people will be able to take these important steps from being benefit-dependent to the workplace.

“Of course we absolutely continue to protect those who are ‘too ill to work’. There is no question about that. Those with the most severe health conditions and disabilities will quite rightly continue to get a higher rate of benefit and support. And despite the political banter from Labour, the disability budget is actually going to be rising by more than £1 billion over the next 5 years which means that more money is being spent in real terms on support for disabled people than at any point under the previous Labour government.”