ABSTRACT
This chapter utilizes a broad socio-political understanding of the concept of disability hate speech, demonstrating that under austerity, disability hate speech is a key element of victim-blaming, scapegoating, and demonising. Removing money and other forms of support from disabled people is not politically popular, and is considered a political risk; creating and repeating the perception that disabled people are unproductive economic burdens to society is a means by which the government seeks to direct and control the political discourse in respect of welfare reform. It is a rationalisation of government policy through disablist hate speech, where the notion of disabled people as unproductive burdens is a weapon to derail a disability rights agenda. Acknowledging that disability hate speech can also be expressed through writing, Conservative policy in respect of welfare reform acts as a further expression of the hatred this government has for disabled people.
