2018-04-24

New intake brings number of disabled MPs in Commons to five Two new Labour MPs – Jared O’Mara and Marsha de Cordova – are part of the increase, but disability campaigners say more work needs to be done, as they are fail to adequately represent the British public

New intake brings number of disabled MPs in Commons to five  Two new Labour MPs – Jared O’Mara and Marsha de Cordova – are part of the increase, but disability campaigners say more work needs to be done, as they are fail to adequately represent the British public

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jun/11/new-intake-brings-number-of-disabled-mps-in-commons-to-five

Robert Booth

Sun 11 Jun 2017 18.11 BST Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 22.53 GMT
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 Houses of Parliament
 Less than 1% of parliament identify as being disabled. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
The new House of Commons will include five disabled MPs, an increase of three on the last term.

 Labour MP Jared O’Mara.
 Labour MP Jared O’Mara. Photograph: Jon Super for the Guardian
Two new Labour MPs are part of the increase. Marsha de Cordova, who defeated Jane Ellison in Battersea, is registered blind and spoke about disabled rights in her victory speech. Jared O’Mara, who has cerebral palsy, won Sheffield Hallam from the former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg.

Lib Dem MP Stephen Lloyd, who is deaf, returns after losing his seat in 2015.

Conservative MPs Robert Halfon, who has cerebal palsy and osteoarthritis, and Paul Maynard, who also has cerebal palsy, were reelected.

 Marsha de Cordova.
 Marsha de Cordova. Photograph: Labour party
But with the five MPs amounting to less than 1% of the parliament’s total membership, the intake was described as “disappointing” by Jamie Szymkowiak, founder of the One in Five campaign for more disabled politicians.

“One in five of us self-identify as being disabled, which includes mental health, learning disabilities and long-term health conditions,” he said. “The biggest barrier is the cost of standing for election and getting through the selection process.”

He called on the government to start offering grants to disabled people to help cover those costs. He said the Scottish Executive has set aside £200,000 for that purpose, although it is not accessible to people wanting to win election to Westminster.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_physically_disabled_politicians


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Thomasine, Sweden United Kingdom
Jack Ashley, MP from 1966 to 1992, profoundly deaf from 1967.
Anne Begg, MP from 1997 to 2015, wheelchair user.
Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister, is blind in one eye.
David Blunkett, former Home Secretary, is blind since birth.
Jane Campbell, Baroness Campbell of Surbiton, disabled rights activist and member of the House of Lords, was born with spinal muscular atrophy.
Susan Cunliffe-Lister, Countess of Swinton and Baroness Masham of Ilton, politician, had several parts of her body paralysed following a car accident.
Ian Fraser, Baron Fraser of Lonsdale, MP several times between 1924 and 1958, then first life peer appointed to the House of Lords in 1958, blinded in action during the First World War.
George III, King of the United Kingdom, was blind and deaf in his last ten years.
Tanni Grey-Thompson, Baroness Grey-Thompson, disabled athlete and Member of the house of Lords, was born with spina bifida.
Davina Ingrams, 18th Baroness Darcy de Knayth, member of the House of Lords, paralyzed from neck down following a car accident.
Colin Low, Baron Low of Dalston was born blind.
David Maclean, Baron Blencathra, MP (1983–2010) currently sitting to the house of Lords, since 1996 has multiple sclerosis.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_physically_disabled_politicians
United Kingdom
Jack Ashley, MP from 1966 to 1992, profoundly deaf from 1967.
Anne Begg, MP from 1997 to 2015, wheelchair user.
Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister, is blind in one eye.
David Blunkett, former Home Secretary, is blind since birth.
Jane Campbell, Baroness Campbell of Surbiton, disabled rights activist and member of the House of Lords, was born with spinal muscular atrophy.
Susan Cunliffe-Lister, Countess of Swinton and Baroness Masham of Ilton, politician, had several parts of her body paralysed following a car accident.
Ian Fraser, Baron Fraser of Lonsdale, MP several times between 1924 and 1958, then first life peer appointed to the House of Lords in 1958, blinded in action during the First World War.
George III, King of the United Kingdom, was blind and deaf in his last ten years.
Tanni Grey-Thompson, Baroness Grey-Thompson, disabled athlete and Member of the house of Lords, was born with spina bifida.
Davina Ingrams, 18th Baroness Darcy de Knayth, member of the House of Lords, paralyzed from neck down following a car accident.
Colin Low, Baron Low of Dalston was born blind.
David Maclean, Baron Blencathra, MP (1983–2010) currently sitting to the house of Lords, since 1996 has multiple sclerosis.

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