SUMMARY OF RESPONSE

— In putting together this response we sent a survey to our Campaigns Network and other interested disabled people asking for their views. We received 57 responses, 46 from disabled people. Their views and experiences inform this response.

— There are over 10 million disabled people in the UK. Disabled people are twice as likely to live in poverty, twice as likely to be out of work and significantly less likely to go on to further and higher education. All three of these can be barriers to involvement in politics.

— An increase in the number of disabled MPs in Parliament would lead to an increase in the accessibility of Parliament and its processes; legislation that better serves disabled people; legislation that benefits from an increase in the diversity of views, opinions and experiences of law makers; and the negative attitudes that many disabled people face about their abilities would be challenged.

— The low numbers of disabled MPs, the problems with accessibility, the lack of understanding about disability amongst current MPs, and the policies and attitudes of all political parties and government towards disabled people create a feeling of alienation. Many disabled people simply do not feel welcome by the political system.

— Despite being active in their communities many disabled people do not consider standing for election because they do not have enough information about how to do so, what it costs, the qualifications they need and the responsibilities of elected officials. They worry that their impairment would provoke a negative reaction from voters. And where they are members of political parties they do not feel they would get the support they need to stand for election.

— It seems that it is both deciding to stand and being selected by your party that are the key barriers to election, more than the attitudes of voters.

— The government should both address wider inequalities disabled people face within society, and actively promote standing for office to disabled people.

— Political parties should do all that they can to recruit and support disabled members, including making sure that they and their meetings are fully accessible and mentoring potential candidates.

— Success should be measured through the number of disabled MPs.

Q1:  Are problems caused by the unbalanced representation in the House of Commons of different groups in society?

  1.  A majority of our respondents felt, and Leonard Cheshire Disability agrees, that there are problems caused by the low number of disabled MPs.

Q2.  If so, what are those problems?

  2.  Our respondents highlighted the following as problems that would be solved if there were a greater number of disabled MPs:

  3.  Accessibility: Accessibility is not just about access to buildings but also access to information, published materials and often the attitude of non-disabled people who can make it easier or harder for disabled people to be included. Currently there are a number of barriers to disabled people moving around the Parliamentary Estate. Others pointed to the sometimes arcane language and obscure parliamentary protocol which can make Parliamentary business and government legislation difficult to follow. These leave many people, not just disabled people, adrift from the parliamentary process. By making Parliament more accessible, more disabled people could visit, work in and be elected to House of Commons. This increased interest and engagement could in turn lead to more disabled people wanting to stand for Parliament.

  4.  Our respondents felt that if there were a greater number of disabled MPs these access issues would be resolved, and they would be resolved much sooner.

  5.  Policy Making: many respondents feel that government policies and legislation do not adequately understand many disabled people's experiences:

"If there were more disabled MPs, disabled people would have a stronger voice. I don't think non-disabled MPs really understand the challenges we face in our daily lives".

  6.  There was a general view amongst respondents that an increase in the number of disabled people would lead to better laws, not just for disabled people, but also the wider population.

"I think that diversity in any group strengthens that group and would be more beneficial than not".

  7.  Other respondents pointed out that simply electing a disabled MP does not mean that he or she will focus on disability issues. There was anger amongst some that those disabled MPs who had been elected, were not seen to have done much for disabled people.

  8.  Leonard Cheshire Disability would agree that disabled MPs wouldn't necessarily reflect, work on, or even support wider disability issues. Each MP has his or her own priorities and it would be a mistake to assume that a disabled MP's views and opinions would be defined by their impairment. Disabled people have strong views and opinions on issues other than disability.

  9.  However we believe that it is essential for the number of disabled MPs to improve, regardless of their political views, to increase the pool of expertise, talents, experience and diversity in Parliament.

  10.  Representation: Some respondents pointed to the negative attitudes that they face:

"I think too many non-disabled people regard us as either deserving of pity or getting too much—free parking etc. We are bullied, shouted at in the street, some of us even murdered."

"We are often made to feel like we have no brains because our legs don't work, also we have nothing positive to say or anything productive to say".

  11.  They argued, and Leonard Cheshire Disability agrees, that with more disabled MPs in positions of responsibility, and clearly trusted by a majority of their constituents, these negative attitudes would be challenged.

"Having elected representatives who reflect the disabled community can not only help our community but also educate the wider able bodied community".

Q3.  Is there a relationship between these levels of representation and voter attitudes to Parliament?

  12.  Amongst our respondents there was a strong sense of disengagement from the political process, some said they didn't feel welcome to participate in politics because they were disabled, others that they saw no point in engaging.

"It would be a total waste of time as far as I can see the disabled are at the bottom of the list of government priorities".

  13.  Many of the problems outlined above have contributed to this sense of alienation. The Parliamentary Estate itself remains difficult for many disabled people, acting as both a physical and a symbolic barrier to their participation. Some disabled people are actively disenfranchised by inaccessible polling stations. In the 2005 General Election, 68% of polling stations were found to be inaccessible.[159]

  14.  Many of our respondents feel that MPs and government do not seem to understand disability and appear to have negative attitudes towards disabled people.

"They tend to consider all disabled people as uneducated, no skills, and physically or mentally deranged which is so insulting."

  15.  Where there is disability related legislation it is viewed as ineffective, in the case of the Disability Discrimination Act, or actually harmful to disabled people, in the case of some measures of welfare reform.

"I find it hurtful when the government criticizes disabled people for being on benefits, and taking them away unfairly, when there is no help or support."

  16.  All of this leads to a view amongst many respondents that Parliament and politics is not for them.

"A lot of disabled people do not think they would ever get the chance to "stand" in the hallowed halls of Parliament."

  17.  This feeling was expressed in a number of ways. Some respondents felt that all politicians, whether disabled or not, were only out for themselves. Others had been disappointed when they had visited the House of Commons only to find parts of it inaccessible. It simply hadn't occurred to others that they could run for office, because they didn't see disabled people doing so.

  18.  We asked in our survey whether an increase in disabled MPs would make respondents more or less likely to vote in elections. About a third always voted, another third said it wouldn't make a difference, but one third would be more likely to vote if there were more disabled MPs.

"I would have more confidence that my vote would count."

Q4.  What are the reasons why more women, people from ethnic minorities and disabled people do not become members of Parliament:

Q4a.  Why don't more from these groups consider standing for election?

  19.  Almost all of our respondents had campaigned on issues at local and national levels. Others had achieved change through their community involvement including, advising the local hospital on disability issues, or being Chair of their Community Liaison Board. Yet only a few had ever considered standing for office and almost all of those had decided against.

"I feel that my disability wouldn't help because of the way it affects my life and because I think people wouldn't believe in me so much if they were aware of my disability."

"I did not feel that there would be enough support in terms of access to buildings and equipment I may need or physical assistance to fulfil a role of local councillor".

"I thought it was going to cost a lot of money to stand in an election and it is only for the wealthy."

"I was unsure of being able to get around, and whether that would be a disadvantage to my political group, and supporters, I would not want to let them down."

"Costs—I have no way of being able to fund any campaign as I'm on benefits, Plus I'm unsure if that was a barrier to entitlement to stand as I need help. Plus being a scrounger doesn't help"

"Late meetings and unsuitable venues"

"Don't think I know enough about the system".

"Can't make my mind up what political party to stand for!"

"I have always thought of entering parliament due to my passion for disabled people, but, would it be worth it and do they listen to people like me!"

"Terrible access for wheelchairs to almost all venues… Unable to reach an alarmingly large majority of house front doors… "

"I am not sure of the process I would need to go through to stand for election either locally or nationally.

"I cannot accept office in any capacity as there is no access to work entitlement and as a full time wheelchair user and someone who requires a hoist for my wheelchair to be put into my adapted car, I would require reasonable adjustments and the local town hall replacing and making accessible for me to take part in any committee meetings or enter council chambers."

"Would love to but—mobility problems and financially I'm trying to survive on incapacity benefit"

Q4b.  Or, if they do,

Why aren't more of them selected?

  20.  Of the three respondents who had put their name forward to be selected, only one was successful. The other two reported a very negative selection experience, with their local party not understanding and not making adjustments for their impairment during the process itself, and the negative attitude of other party members:

"There was a distinct lack of awareness for participation of people with disabilities. Access for wheelchair users was covered, but no thought was given to people with mobility needs or supportive seating needs. When it came to hidden disabilities, we might of well not existed, there was a complete lack of understanding of flooring & acoustics of hearing impaired people. People with sight impairments fared no better as they were no priority places at the front of the meeting for anyone apart from dignitaries or press or contributors. Signers etc, could not operate as the people they were supporting were generally spread all over the place and in the back areas, which meant that the communicators and signers were struggling to hear or see what was going on….[As] a result, I have not been interested in any further involvement as taking part required so much hard work, personal effort and expense."

Q4c.  Or, if they are,

Why aren't more of them elected?

  21.  Of our respondents only one has been elected to office and now serves as Borough Councillor.

"I enjoyed the experience of being a candidate, and received a great deal of support from my local party… I got a very positive reaction from the voters, with one exception…A middle aged man actually came up to me, put his hand on my arm and asked if he really thought I could do the job. I politely assured him that I felt I was as good as anyone for the job."

  22.  Of the other respondents, there were two or three who stood for other posts, such as chair or their local residents association, and they too were elected.

  23.  On this anecdotal evidence, Leonard Cheshire Disability would suggest that there seems no reason why disabled people wouldn't be elected, once they'd been selected. Instead the sticking points for disabled people being elected are having the knowledge and confidence to put their names forward and then being selected by their political party.

  24.  Other respondents voiced concerns that voters wouldn't vote for a disabled candidate, or that a disabled candidate would be subject to particularly negative attacks during the campaign. One respondent expressed the fear that the opposition and the media would "draw out maggoty slurs" against disabled candidates. These fears may also be a reason why disabled people are reluctant to stand for election in the first place.

Q5.  What are the problems and practical difficulties encountered—at any point in the process of selection and election—by members of these underrepresented groups who are looking to become MPs?

  25.  See paragraph 20.

Q6.  What actions could be taken by the Government to address disparities in representation?

  26.  A range of actions have been suggested by respondents as ways in which the numbers of disabled MPs could be increased:

"The government should encourage disabled people to stand for office, make them feel welcome"

  27.  There was some support for a quota for disabled MPs, reserving some seats as seats for disabled people, or establishing all-disabled short lists. There was also some strong opposition to "positive discrimination".

  28.  One respondent suggested a job share so that two part time MPs could do the job of one full time MP, this may involve the election of a joint ticket. Another suggested the introduction of a "trial period".

  29.  Other respondents looked at more radical solutions such as allowing MPs to vote when they are away from the Commons through a virtual lobby. This would circumvent the problems of an inaccessible public transport system, the difficulties of finding accessible accommodation whilst in London and the problems of access at the Palace of Westminster.

  30.  Another idea was to move Parliament outside of London so that it would be easier to get to. This too would tackle the difficulties of travelling to and from, and staying in London.

  31.  One respondent called for there to be "a disability ministry staffed totally by disabled people and their carers".

  32.  "Disabled people would actively become more involved if they could see the government enforcing the DDA. The DDA should be taken as seriously as Health and Safety Laws."

  This would demonstrate to disabled people that the government listens to them rather than simply "paying lip service to them" and in making society more accessible, ensure that disabled people would be able to take part on an equal basis in politics and the political process.

  33.  Leonard Cheshire Disability would argue that the government must show disabled people that government is there for them, if disabled people are to consider standing for office. It can do this both through not acting in ways that lead to disabled people feeling excluded, and acting in ways that actively lead to disabled people's inclusion.

  34.  At the broadest level this will mean reforming the way the Disability Discrimination Act is enforced so that the burden of ensuring service providers and others comply in making their services accessible does not fall on individual disabled people, but rather the state. It is hoped that this will remove the accessibility barrier that many disabled people face in deciding whether or not to stand for office and in their day to day lives.

  35.  The government should also instigate a public information and publicity campaign to promote standing for office, targeted at under represented groups, showing them that Parliament and elected office is for them. Information about what standing for office entails and what the responsibilities and roles of elected representatives are should be freely and easily available.

  36.  The government should also review what support is available for disabled MPs. For instance is Access to Work, which pays for reasonable adjustments in the workplace, available to disabled MPs? Or could disabled MPs have an extra parliamentary allowance to pay for the adjustments they will need to be able to fulfil their role as an MP?

Q7.  What actions have been, or could be, taken by political parties, campaigning groups and others to address disparities in representation?

  37.  One of the main barriers to disabled people standing for office is a belief that it is not for them and they are not wanted. Very few respondents were members of political parties and the low numbers of independent elected representatives suggest they would find it difficult to get elected any other way.

  38.  Respondents to the survey suggested a number of actions political parties could take that could lead to an increase in the number of disabled MPs:

— 39.  Actively recruit new disabled members by "advertising more and put disabled members in the public eye to let people know there are active disabled members and what they do."

— 40.  "Get their access issues sorted out (conferences, premises) and advertise more widely, making it clear that disabled people are welcomed and will be considered, just the same as everyone else".

— 41.  Be flexible and imaginative in their approach to disabled members, and work with them to overcome any barriers they face to full and active party membership. Ensure their policies and practices are accessible and that opportunities to act as local party officials are open, fair and accessible.

— 42.  Provide equality training for local branches to ensure that disabled members are treated fairly. "Sometimes [the party made adjustments] but often there was a lack of knowledge about how difficult it might be to get to meetings or take part in events that are often held in venues without disabled access. Ignorance really."

— 43.  Provide training and support for disabled members whishing to stand for elected office, including mentoring by current elected representatives and work shadowing schemes.

— 44.  "Actively encouraging and supporting people and aiding them to overcome issues such as canvassing where access can be a real issue—especially on house to house calling". Our respondent who was successfully elected to her borough council, switched from door-to-door canvassing to phone canvassing.

— 45.  "I think that what would really make a difference would be changing the electoral system to some form of proportional representation. This might allow political parties of and for disabled people to compete effectively with the established parties."

— 46.  "Disability Organisations put forward candidates across the country"

  47.  Leonard Cheshire Disability supports the recommendations above which are focused on making the current political parties more accessible and more welcoming to disabled people.

  48.  Without more disabled people joining political parties, being encouraged to put their names forward for selection and then being selected there will not be an increase in the number of disabled MPs. Political parties must show disabled people why joining is relevant to them and then ensure that disabled people are made to feel welcome, and support and encourage them to take part in public life. Political parties should also recognise that being fully accessible and open to disabled people will allow them to engage with an important and active group of voters.

  49.  The emergence of new political parties as a strong elected force is rare. It may be that over time smaller parties, such as the Green Party or UKIP or a new disability party will emerge to become more powerful influences at Westminster. However this is something that will be determined by voters.

  Q8.  How can the success of such actions be measured?

  50.  The first measurement will be the number of disabled MPs in Parliament. This will require MPs to declare their disability, either openly or through an anonymous survey.

  51.  Becoming an MP doesn't take place over night, there are several "feeder routes" along which many aspiring MPs travel. It would be useful to know how many disabled members of political parties there are, how many disabled local councillors there are, how many MPs employ disabled staff, and how many staff employed by the political parties are disabled. An increase in the number of disabled people in these categories over time, would hopefully lead to an increase in the number of disabled MPs in the long term.

  Leonard Cheshire Disability supports over 21,000 disabled people in the UK and works in 52 countries. We campaign for change and provide innovative services that give disabled people the opportunity to live life their way.