Politics

Lisney, Buxton, Hart and Brothers (and her guide dog) outside 10 Downing Street

May 24, 2018 0

Trio of disabled politicians welcome ‘partial victory’ on Access to Elected Office Fund

Three disabled politicians are welcoming a “partial victory” over the government, after a minister announced 12 months’ worth of new funding to support disabled candidates who want to stand for elected office. Women and equalities minister Penny Mordaunt announced that the government would provide “up to” £250,000 to assist disabled people with the additional

Politics

Penny Mordaunt speaking in the House of Commons

May 17, 2018 0

Information commissioner ‘most concerned’ about DWP’s ‘foreign advice’ replies

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been criticised by the information commissioner over the way it dealt with a request to reveal the identities of seven foreign governments that asked for advice on disability reform. After facing a probe by the commissioner into its refusal to release the information, DWP is now

Politics

Lord Shinkwin speaking, from behind a table

May 17, 2018 0

Equality watchdog’s attempt to ‘mainstream’ disability ‘is failing disabled people’

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The equality watchdog is failing disabled people by attempting to “mainstream” disability and treat it the same way as the other eight characteristics protected by the Equality Act, peers have warned. The House of Lords was debating the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s decision that it no longer needed a disability commissioner, and to

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April 12, 2018 0

Network neglect leaves government ‘closer to coercion than co-production’

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The government’s reputation on disability equality has suffered a further damaging blow, after it admitted that none of the bodies it set up to engage with disabled people and their organisations as part of its disability strategy has met in nearly a year. The Fulfilling Potential Forum, set up “to discuss how disabled people

Politics

Separate picture of David Buxton, Simeon Hart and Emily Brothers campaigning

April 12, 2018 0

Government faces legal action over election access fund

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Three disabled politicians have begun legal action against the government over its failure to reopen a fund that supported Deaf and disabled people with the extra costs of standing for election as MPs. Labour’s Emily Brothers, Liberal Democrat David Buxton and the Green party’s Simeon Hart say the government is breaching the Equality Act

Politics

March 22, 2018 0

Scrapped! Ministers ‘secretly ditch government’s disability strategy’

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The government appears to have scrapped its cross-departmental disability strategy – which was aimed at “improving the lives of disabled people” – and abandoned any idea of replacing it. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) yesterday refused to say what had happened to a review of its Fulfilling Potential strategy, which was announced

Politics

Philip Hammond speaking in the House of Commons

March 15, 2018 0

Spring statement ‘shows disabled people will continue to bear brunt of austerity’

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The chancellor’s spring statement shows that disabled people will continue to bear the brunt of austerity, according to leading user-led organisations. They spoke out after Philip Hammond (pictured) resisted calls to increase funding for adult social care and other public services in this week’s statement. Instead, he suggested that he might increase public spending

Politics

A huge poster for the Labour conference outside the conference centre

March 1, 2018 0

Handbook offers Labour new DEAL on addressing widespread discrimination in the party

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Disabled party activists are hoping a new handbook will force Labour to confront its failure to comply with its legal duties to prevent disability discrimination. Members of the Disability Equality ACT Labour (DEAL) campaign, all Labour members, say the party has repeatedly failed to comply with its duties under the Equality Act. To address

Politics

February 8, 2018 0

Renovations to Houses of Parliament ‘must provide step change in access’

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A disabled peer has told the House of Lords that plans for a major “restoration and renewal” of the Houses of Parliament must ensure a “step change” in the provision of disability access in a building that can be “extremely unwelcoming” to disabled people. Baroness [Sal] Brinton, president of the Liberal Democrats and a

Politics

Emily Brothers speaking at the Cambridge Union

February 1, 2018 0

Labour must act on ‘shameful’ lack of disabled people on NEC, says party activist

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A leading Labour activist has called for action to address disability discrimination within the party and the “shameful” lack of disabled people on its ruling national body. Emily Brothers has told Disability News Service (DNS) that she will be seeking one of nine seats available on Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) for candidates representing

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