Disabled experts who advised the Labour government on its ground-breaking Life Chances report – which was published 20 years ago on Sunday – say successive governments over the last 20 years have abandoned its ambitious goals.
The 20th anniversary of the report – which placed independent living at its heart – comes just days after the new Labour government announced further delays to long-term reform of the adult social care system in England.
Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People was widely viewed as a radical and ambitious report that had the language of rights embedded in its pages.
Influential disabled people played a key role in drafting the report, which used social model language and principles, and called for every local area to have its own user-led organisation modelled on centres for independent living (CILs).
It does. But it can also be an advantage. When people are willing to vote on a single issue. Bigger parties fear the loss of votes more than in a proportional system.
Green never got a huge % of votes. 2MPs is the highest number (I think). But long before they had any MPs, larger parties adopted the issue rather than lose votes.
And that one I won’t advertise. Forced and won a referendum with 0 MPs. I may hate their cause. But they were able to effect politics with way less votes. Than disability advocates both able and disabled exist.
I hate FPTP as far as its ability to represent the desires of a democratic society. But for single issues. It actually can help smaller populations gain a voice.
EDIT: I honestly think just forming a serious party would raise enough publicity. That the 3 big parties would panic. Despite Tories recent pre-election attack on disabled, Most voters really only notice the issues when they see it with family members. Having a couple of elections where a party is running while pointing out the broken promises plus challenging past negative attacks from political parties. Can you really see either the Tories or Labour openly disagreeing with a rational argument on this? Their options in n election will be to lie, deny intent to harm. Or ignore us.
There really is no shortage of data that can be used to gain support. And our own population alone is all we would need to scare the larger parties away from ignoring such a party.
The hardest part would be raising the money to get started. The community has no shortage of able/skilled voices. It’s convincing them to fight for an agreed platform that would be difficult.
Good point
Yeah. Unfortunately, I do not think I’d make a good politician.
Need to find someone with a bit more personality (and less mental depression/ugly mug). To start such a group. I’d likely be a background worker.