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PRIVACY

EXCLUSIVE: More than 80 suicide cases directly linked to Coalition cuts claim disability campaigners

The Black Triangle campaign group found more than 80 cases since 2010 and believe even more will suffer and die if David Cameron wins the election

Suicides: (L-R) Jo Stephenson, David Clapson and Trevor Drakard were all said to have taken their lives after being hit by the effects of public spending cuts

A huge number of disabled, sick and vulnerable people took their lives due to savage Tory benefits cuts, campaigners have warned.

And they believe even more will suffer and die if David Cameron wins the election.

Research from the Black Triangle campaign group found more than 80 cases of suicide directly linked to billions of pounds in benefit cuts.

John McArdle, co-founder of Black Triangle, said: “The Dept of Work and Pensions refuses to reveal the findings of their own peer reviews of suicides linked to the sanctions so we will never know the truth in those cases.

“We are supposed to be living in a democratic society where Parliament hold the executive to account but even they cannot find out. It is scandalous.”

He said the Work Capability Assessment regime applied to all sick and disabled people, without adequate risk assessment 'built into the system'.

He added: “If it was a medical trial, it would have been abandoned long ago. So many have died as a direct result of the withdrawal of benefits, as confirmed by numerous coroner's inquests.

Tragic: David Clapson died after having his benefits stopped(Daily Mirror)

Campaign: David's sister Gill Thompson with her husband John and Debbie Abrahams MP who attended the Westminster inquiry into benefit sanctions(Tim Anderson)

Denial: Iain Duncan Smith's Department of Work and Pensions said cuts are not linked to suicides(PA)

Appeals: Trevor Drakard, 50, from Sunderland, told DWP chiefs he couldn't cope with being ordered back into work(Daily Mirror / Andy Commins)

Stress: Jo Stephenson's wife Hilary told his inquest he became 'pre-occupied' with town hall finances before his death