I am writing this on the bus home from Westminster, feeling rather irritated with myself. When I got up this morning, I checked the news as usual. The first thing I saw was that there was a conference about getting disabled people in to work on today at the queen Elizabeth conference centre. Sensing an opportunity to do some direct action, I set off into london shortly after one. I got up there in very good time, but it was then that I made my big mistake. I assumed it was invitation only, so I stayed outside. I was happy enough chatting to the reporters from the beeb, telling them what an insult it was that a government inflicting such harsh cuts on disabled people is now figuratively saying ‘just get a job’. While I do think that people should be encouraged and helped to work, something about this conference just smacked of hypocrisy and patronisation: reducing benefits means it is harder to enter the workplace – thinking it will incentivise work is false logic. The guy said he would use my comments, but unable to get myself on tv, I decided it wax too hot to hang around. I thought I would just have a walk then go home.

I was just going up mill bank.though, when it occurred to me that I could at least try getting in to the conference. I turned back and, predictably, was told I could have gone right in, but that – even more predictably – there was no point as everyone was about to go home. I could have kicked myself! Dejected, I set off home, sad that I had missed an opportunity to meet so many big whigs of the disability world, but happy that I had caught the ear of the bbc reporter. In a way, that is just as good.