Greens call for disability to be placed at the heart of new Labour government
Responding to the news that there will be no dedicated disability minister in government, Mags Lewis, Green Party Spokesperson for Disability said,
“Whilst it is to be welcomed that the Government finally announced the new Disability Minister late last week, it is a huge concern to see the role has been added to, or amalgamated with, the Minister for Social Security.
“This means that there will be no dedicated disability minister in government.
“Sir Stephen Timms will be the Secretary of State (Minister for Social Security and Disability), but with disability a notoriously neglected area and with us being shamefully under-represented in the House of Commons and indeed every area of government, what message does this send to the 16 million disabled people in the UK?
“Whilst disability is the responsibility of every minister and disability crosses all areas of government, such has health, DWP and social services, we need a minister with the time, focus and authority to champion the transformational change desperately needed and to see us not as a problem, but as an asset.
“Waiting over a week for a minister to be appointed, and for it to be added onto another department, sends a clear message to disabled communities that we are not a priority.
“It is only by having a dedicated and high profile minister with a cross government brief, will we see any positive change in structures and the dismal position of many disabled people in the UK.”