About Me

I'm a Christian passionate about social justice and God's love for the poor. Being a disciple of Jesus means obeying his commands and copying his example. God's command and example is that we love the poor, including defending their rights.​I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Type 3, Postural Tachycardia Syndrome and fibromyalgia/small fibre neuropathy. Basically, I'm always exhausted and in pain. Every part of me hurts; every part of me longs for rest and sleep.​

 

I carry out research on disability and sickness policy. I started in this area around the time that the Conservative/Liberal Democrat government started its changes to social security. I became part of the Spartacus Network, joining with other sick and disabled people to critique the government's approach to sick and disabled people. In 2015 I was commissioned by the thinktank Ekklesia to carry out research for the purpose of designing a new sickness benefit. In 2018 I started working with Catherine Hale on the Chronic Illness Inclusion Project, looking at the shared features of chronic illness and their implications for social policy.

 

In September 2019 I brought out Second Class Citizens, a book which considers the history of the UK's treatment of disabled people and the creation and subsequent steady dismantling of the welfare state. In June 2024 I brought out Just Worship, a call for Christians to work for socioeconomic justice as part of their worship of God.

 

​I have a 1st in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge. I started a PhD at Cambridge, but had to withdraw after I became ill.