BBC Tressa Burke, who has shoulder length blonde hair looks off into the distance while standing outside the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh.BBC

Tressa Burke was informed she had been awarded an MBE on the day Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her Budget

The head of a leading disability rights charity turned down an MBE in the New Year Honours over what she described as the “simply intolerable” situation facing disabled people in the UK.

Tressa Burke, chief executive of the Glasgow Disability Alliance, was recognised by the prime minister for her services to people with disabilities.

But in a letter to the Cabinet Office, posted on X, she condemned policy changes in November’s Budget, including cuts to the Motability scheme.

The Cabinet Office does not comment on individual honours but BBC Scotland News has asked the Department for Work and Pensions for a response.

In her letter, dated 3 December, Burke said she was “grateful” that the charity’s work had been acknowledged.

But she added: “I feel that I cannot accept a personal honour because disabled people are being so dishonoured at this time.

“In fact we are being demonised, dehumanised and scapegoated for political choices and policy failures by consecutive governments.”

She went on to raise a series of concerns including “inadequate benefit levels” and “backdoor taxation for social care support”.

Burke also highlighted the impact of the cost of living crisis on heating, clothing and independent living equipment.

She continued: “The political choices made in the UK Budget have supercharged the inequalities and unfairness disabled people face.”

Getty Images Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who has shoulder-length brown hair, holds her red Budget briefcase with the black door of Number 11 Downing Street in the background. She is wearing a white blouse and a green trouser suit.Getty Images

Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her Autumn Budget last month

The charity boss revealed she received the letter about her proposed honour on 26 November, the day Chancellor Rachel Reeves was addressing MPs in the Commons.

She said there “were some positives” in the Budget, such as increases to disability benefits in line with inflation and the removal of two-child benefit cap.

But her letter continued: “These are vastly overshadowed by the extremely draconian actions being taken which negatively impact disabled people’s lives and plunge them into further poverty, removing them even more, from living lives of meaning and fulfilment.”

Burke said increased investment in children’s social care was not matched with any additional funding for adult social care, which she added put significant strain on the NHS.

She also criticised measures such as the introduction of stricter assessments for Personal Independent Payments.

Burke received a reply from the Cabinet Office on 23 December which thanked her for her email.

It continued: “The Prime Minister was sorry not to be able to include your name in the recommendations which were submitted to The New Year 2026 Honours List, but he of course respected your wishes.”