We’re now full swing into the election 2017. The main political parties have or are just about to distribute their manifestos. The highly choreographed appearances are slowly being infiltrated by, shock horror, the voters. Who have opinions and frustrations….
Let us present Cathy, a voter from Oxfordshire, who confronted Theresa May, when she was doing a walk around in the market place of Abingdon. Cathy eloquently and passionately presented the current challenges she faces, as she suffers from learning difficulties and her disability benefits are being cut. Watch the discussion here.
Here is a transcript of the discussion:
Theresa May was walking through the market when Cathy asked her: “Theresa, are you going to help people with learning disabilities? I am being serious. I want you to do something for us.”
Mrs May started to respond and said: “We have got a lot of plans for people with mental health…”
But Cathy shouted over her and said: “And learning disabilities because I have got mild learning disabilities and I haven’t got a carer at the moment and I am angry. I would like somebody to help me because I can’t do everything that I want to do. Talk about everybody, not just me, I am talking about for everybody who has got mental (health problems) and everybody who has got learning disabilities. I want them not have their money taken away from them and being crippled.”
May again started to answer: “We are going to do a number of…”
But Cathy: passionate and on a roll said: “The fat cats keep the money and us lot get nothing.”
Mrs May tried again saying: “Cathy, we are going to do a number of things, let me just tell you one thing which isn’t about money…”
Cathy interrupted again: “Do you know what I want? I want my disability living allowance to come back, not have PIP and get nothing. I can’t live on £100 a month. They took it all away from me.”
The Prime Minister replied: “What I can do is ensure that we are giving more help to people with mental health problems and learning disabilities and that is exactly what we are doing and we made an announcement the other day.”
Cathy said: “I mean people in wheelchairs as well and everybody. I’m not just (talking about) myself, for all of us.”
Mrs May finally replied: “That is what we want to ensure when we look at the help that we are giving to people with any disability it’s that particularly we focus on those who are most in need.”
Cathy is definitely an #electionsuperstar; she was concise, passionate and focused with her message. She had only one chance to make an impact and grabbed the opportunity to be heard. Brava!
Performance: Brilliant; your average luvey would learn a lot from Cathy’s energy, passion and focus. 5/5
Audience: There was only one member of the audience as far as Cathy was concerned: Theresa May, and certainly Cathy made an impact. Of course there were other audiences: the live audience around her, and also the TV audience. 5/5
Preparation: I suspect Cathy has been angry about her personal situation for a long time. No doubt she has argued her situation in her mind and also to friends and family. It is unlikely she ever believed she would have the chance to speak to May in person, but she grabbed the opportunity. 3/5
Voice: Cathy’s voice is clear and she has passion in her speech. It is completely authentic. 5/5
Content: With respect, Cathy had one argument, related to her own situation. It was highly personal and impassioned. The content made an impact. 4/5
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