The Conservative Party’s new draft policies on special schools and inclusion would “set the clock back by more than 30 years” say appalled campaigners. They spoke out after the Conservatives published their draft education policy, three months before the likely date […]
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Confusion after minister claims reserved posts are illegal
An equalities minister has caused bemusement among members of the disability movement after claiming it was illegal for them to reserve jobs solely for disabled people. Maria Eagle – a former disabled people’s minister – made the comments this week during […]
Improvements to equality bill will safeguard ‘holy grail’
A disabled peer has hailed improvements to the public sector equality duty – the “holy grail” of the equality bill – as a “huge breakthrough” in the fight to maintain disabled people’s protection from discrimination. Baroness [Jane] Campbell introduced the amendments […]
Lib Dems lead the way on disabled MPs
The Liberal Democrats have become the first of the three main political parties to accept all of the disability-related recommendations of a committee set up to increase the diversity of MPs. The Speaker’s Conference on Parliamentary Representation made 71 recommendations aimed […]
Smith pledges to make disabled people love the EHRC
The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) new lead on disability issues has pledged to help change the way it is viewed by disabled people, and to do more to explain and promote the work it is doing. Mike Smith, the […]
Report finds nearly a third of disabled people in poverty
An independent report on income inequalities – commissioned by the government – has concluded that nearly a third of disabled people are living in poverty. Official statistics previously estimated about a quarter of disabled people were in poverty but An Anatomy […]
Minister’s verdict on EHRC: ‘Could do better’
An equalities minister has delivered a lukewarm verdict on the first two years of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) saying the watchdog “could do better”. Maria Eagle, a minister in the Government Equalities Office (GEO), said the EHRC had […]
MP calls for evidence from disabled people for fuel poverty inquiry
Disabled campaigners have welcomed a new inquiry by MPs that will examine the extent of fuel poverty experienced by disabled people. The Commons energy and climate change committee announced last week that it was holding a short inquiry into the government’s […]
Campaigners fight again to hold the line on assisted suicide
Disability organisations have had to line up yet again against any weakening of the law on assisted suicide following two high profile court cases and the publication of proposed new laws in Scotland. Kay Gilderdale, from Stonegate, East Sussex, was cleared […]
Peers approve bill to right wrongs of NHS’s ‘worst treatment disaster’
A bill that would provide vital financial support to the disabled victims of the “worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS” has been approved by the House of Lords. The contaminated blood (support for infected and bereaved persons) bill […]