Glasgow Disability Alliance CEO Tressa Burke Declines MBE Over Budget Cuts
Tressa Burke, CEO of the Glasgow Disability Alliance, has declined an MBE awarded in the 2026 New Year Honours, citing the conditions faced by disabled people in the UK.
She received the nomination letter on 26 November 2025, coinciding with the announcement of the Budget by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
Burke publicly criticized the Budget via a letter posted to the Cabinet Office on X, highlighting cuts to the Motability scheme and describing how disabled residents in Glasgow are facing heating and bill fears. She expressed that disabled people feel under attack from the UK government.
In her letter, Burke stated she could not accept a personal honour while disabled people continued to be dishonoured by political choices. She asserted that successive governments have wronged disabled people, who have been blamed, scapegoated, and marginalised.
She called the Budget a missed opportunity to invest in disabled services, emphasizing that it deepens inequality and poverty, and noted the lack of additional funding for adult social care.
In a letter dated 3 December, Burke warned of inadequate benefits and a backdoor form of taxation for social care, and criticized moves towards stricter assessments for Personal Independence Payments.
The Cabinet Office responded on 23 December, thanking her for her communication. The Prime Minister also issued an apology for not including her name in the 2026 New Year Honours recommendations while expressing respect for her decision to decline the honour.
