An estimated 16.0 million people are living with disabilities in the UK.
Among these, I am one of the many who navigate life with significant health challenges. I am registered as disabled due to Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Endometriosis, and De Quervain’s Syndrome in both hands. Additionally, I suffer from Steatohepatitis, a liver condition. Most days, I am bedridden, but on what I consider a good day, I am able to get around using my motorised wheelchair.
I’ve experienced firsthand the countless barriers that can make everyday life challenging. However, one area that remains shockingly inaccessible is politics. If disabled people were represented in politics according to our proportion of the UK population, there would be about 136 disabled MPs. In reality, there were only five who publicly identified as disabled in 2021. This disparity is not just a statistic—it reflects a significant accessibility problem within our political system.
How can 5 people give the views of and fight for the rights of 16 million Disabled people?
The Challenges of Getting Elected
The process of getting elected is notoriously inaccessible. Craig Mackinlay, the newest disabled MP who decided to stand down due to the demanding nature of the job, is a prime example. Mr Mackinlay, who lost his hands and feet to sepsis, cited the difficulty of sustaining 70- to 80-hour working weeks while continuing his rehabilitation. This highlights a broader issue: the sheer physical and logistical challenges of running for office as a disabled person.
Election campaigns are frenetic. They require candidates to traverse miles of pavements, often without accessible transport options. This forces many disabled candidates to rely on expensive taxis or the help of friends and family. Additionally, blind and deaf candidates have reported inaccessible communication from both the government and their own campaign teams. These candidates often have to use their campaign funds to hire support staff, such as British Sign Language interpreters or pay for screen-reading software, putting them at a significant disadvantage.
The Impact of Ableism
Perhaps the highest hurdle of all is ableism. Disabled candidates face overt and implicit discrimination from their parties, other politicians, and the public. There is a pervasive assumption that disabled people won’t be able to handle the long hours or the hard work of running for office. This assumption is not only ableist but also prevents changes in how parliament operates to make it more accessible for everyone, including parents of young children or people with caring responsibilities.
This ableism discourages disabled people from even considering a political career. Even those willing to face these barriers during a campaign may be dissuaded by the knowledge that, if they win, they will face an already inaccessible job. Parliament itself is deeply inaccessible, both culturally and physically. From unsociable hours that are difficult for anyone needing care to manage, to a who can shout the loudest culture that disadvantages chronically ill or neurodivergent people, the barriers are immense.
If you are living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and need help please click here to Contact Me
Why Representation Matters
Representation of marginalised identities in our politics isn’t just a nice thing for us to have it’s critically important. For the past 14 years, disabled people have faced the dismantling of the welfare safety net, gutted social care, and demonisation at every possible opportunity. The Tories’ response to Covid, which sacrificed tens of thousands of disabled lives, underscores the need for better representation. Perhaps more disabled MPs would have led to policies that better protected the most vulnerable among us.
The Need for Action
The 16 million disabled people in the UK deserve better representation. However, the government has made this even less likely by scrapping the Enable fund (formerly the Access to Elected Office fund) in England. This fund helped cover the extra costs disabled candidates face, such as hiring personal assistants and covering transport costs. Without this support, many disabled people, like Labour’s Marsha de Cordova, might never have had the chance to enter local or national politics. Marsha stated in a recent article that “parliament simply isn’t designed for disabled people, with its narrow doorways, tight walkways, steps without ramps, and uneven flooring”
Looking to the Future
With a general election campaign now in full swing, we should be asking why it is still so hard for disabled people to run for office and what the next government will do about it. We desperately need more disabled people in our politics. Let’s help them get there.
Thank you for reading, and let’s continue to fight for a more inclusive and representative political system.
Stay strong and keep advocating,
Alisha 🫶