[the truth]

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics...isabled-people

thats about 0.5%

yet we get women only shortlists and they have 192 mp's thats just over 30%

what are both parties doing about this? labour especially who claim to be the party of equal opportunities

[Cherie]

to get some proper context, how many disabled people put themselves forward for election as an MP?

[Tozzie]

Originally Posted by Cherie

to get some proper context, how many disabled people put themselves forward for election as an MP?

Just what I was going to say

[the truth]

Originally Posted by Tozzie

Just what I was going to say

are they encouraged? can they even get into the buildings?
theres over 10 million people with serious health or disabilities thats 16% thats 1 in 6 people...in westminster have have just 1 labour mp and just 4 mps in total out of 650 thats less than 0.5%

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by the truth

are they encouraged? can they even get into the buildings?
theres over 10 million people with serious health or disabilities thats 16% thats 1 in 6 people...in westminster have have just 1 labour mp and just 4 mps in total out of 650 thats less than 0.5%

Well as its a condition of Disability Descrimination Act they will be able to access the buildings I would imagine. My local council often add to their adverts that applications from minority groups and people with disabilities are encouraged and in a lot of cases guarantee an interview.

[smudgie]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

Well as its a condition of Disability Descrimination Act they will be able to access the buildings I would imagine. My local council often add to their adverts that applications from minority groups and people with disabilities are encouraged and in a lot of cases guarantee an interview.

Unfortunately the access is not to good.
One fella in his wheelchair has to go a long way round and go out of a door at the back. ( I watched it on a show all about parliament).
Hopefully when it is refurbished and renovated it will be addressed.

[Livia]

When I was an election agent, I've worked on behalf of three councillors who are wheelchair bound, one deaf councillor and several who had mobility problems. There's no barrier... If someone wants to stand as a councillor/MP, they have as much chance as anyone else in the party.

[ebandit]

...........given the small number of MPs............600?

..........will always be groups under represented

Mark L

[Mystic Mock]

You can't balance it out perfectly for every single group, however they could try harder than maybe 4.

[the truth]

Originally Posted by smudgie

Unfortunately the access is not to good.
One fella in his wheelchair has to go a long way round and go out of a door at the back. ( I watched it on a show all about parliament).
Hopefully when it is refurbished and renovated it will be addressed.

Exactly. So there clearly are barriers, very physical ones too.

[the truth]

Originally Posted by ebandit

...........given the small number of MPs............600?

..........will always be groups under represented

Mark L

650 mps Only 4 are disabed
yet 192 female mps and yet all we hear is about about how terribly under represented they are

why should 192 get so much more help and attention than 4?

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by the truth

650 mps Only 4 are disabed
yet 192 female mps and yet all we hear is about about how terribly under represented they are

why should 192 get so much more help and attention than 4?

I don't understand why it always has to be a comparison and begrudging of women, why not just concentrate on the topic of disabled MPs if that's really your concern?

[Withano]

Wouldnt every group ever be underrepresented, apart from straight white males?

[smudgie]

Originally Posted by Withano

Wouldnt every group ever be underrepresented, apart from straight white males?

Yes.
Hopefully we will carry on getting more people interested in politics from all walks of life.

[Livia]

Things are changing. Nothing happens immediately and all at once. Fifty or so years ago you could go to jail for being gay, now you can marry your partner and that's just as it should be. There are openly gay politicians in Westminster, there are more women in Westminster, the way is opening up for disabled people too... David Blunkett was blind and made it to one of the top jobs. This stuff doesn't happen quickly, it happens glacially slowly, sadly. But I have every confidence that in time things will progress to the point where everyone has a fair chance. Maybe that's a bit 'glass-half-full', but I hope not.

[smudgie]

Originally Posted by Livia

Things are changing. Nothing happens immediately and all at once. Fifty or so years ago you could go to jail for being gay, now you can marry your partner and that's just as it should be. There are openly gay politicians in Westminster, there are more women in Westminster, the way is opening up for disabled people too... David Blunkett was blind and made it to one of the top jobs. This stuff doesn't happen quickly, it happens glacially slowly, sadly. But I have every confidence that in time things will progress to the point where everyone has a fair chance. Maybe that's a bit 'glass-half-full', but I hope not.

You have put into words exactly what I was thinking, haven't had enough Meds yet to unscramble my brain.
Things have changed so much for the better in politics in my lifetime.

[the truth]

Originally Posted by Livia

Things are changing. Nothing happens immediately and all at once. Fifty or so years ago you could go to jail for being gay, now you can marry your partner and that's just as it should be. There are openly gay politicians in Westminster, there are more women in Westminster, the way is opening up for disabled people too... David Blunkett was blind and made it to one of the top jobs. This stuff doesn't happen quickly, it happens glacially slowly, sadly. But I have every confidence that in time things will progress to the point where everyone has a fair chance. Maybe that's a bit 'glass-half-full', but I hope not.

lets hope so. Though disabled issues have fallen way behind other so called minorities imo