Only one of 129 newly elected MSPs is openly disabled
Disabled people are massively underrepresented in the Scottish Parliament a charity has blasted.
Of the 129 MSPs elected last week, Inclusion Scotland says just one openly identifies as a disabled person.
The consortium of disabled people’s organisations and disabled individuals says something has to change.
“With one in five members of the working age population being disabled, the election result has badly let disabled people down. A fully representative Scottish Parliament would contain around 23 disabled MSPs,” the charity’s chief executive Dr Sally Witcher said.
An election where less than 1% of the winners is disabled is unacceptable
“Disabled people have a great deal to contribute to politics and public life. Our lived experience of exclusion means that we really understand what needs to be done to promote inclusion.
“An election where less than 1% of the winners is disabled is unacceptable, and just as with addressing other forms of under-representation the onus is mainly on parties to see to it that next year is different.”
Last year all five major parties signed up to the One in Five Charter, promising to undertake to improve accessibility within their parties, and actively encourage and support disabled people to become candidates.
The latest result is a clear indication that more still needs to be done.
Witcher added: “The question is: what will political parties do to ensure that disabled members are encouraged and supported to stand? Will they take action to ensure a representative level of disabled members are selected?”
The only disabled MSP in the new parliament is Jeremy Balfour, of the Conservative Party, who was elected on the list vote to represent the Lothian region.
Three disabled politicians have left the old parliament, including former Labour MSP Siobhan McMahon.
She backed Inclusion Scotland’s call saying “action, not just warm words” from parties was needed.
She added: “No party has taken any reasonable or meaningful action to help disabled people enter politics or seek election.”
Sarah Anderson, a Green activist who plans to stand in local council elections next year and is a spokesperson for grass-roots campaign group One in Five, said: “The recent Scottish Parliament elections show there is room for improvement when it comes to the representation of disabled people in political life.
“Commitment to the One in Five Charter from political parties may have come a bit early for this election, but we look forward to seeing see the number of disabled councillors increase in 2017."
