19 March 2021 – the day’s press release

We haven’t been publishing Party press releases for a while now, as we weren’t receiving any. However, the ‘teleprinter’ has suddenly sprung back into life…

Government letting down disabled workforce

Liberal Democrats have backed a new policy at its Spring Conference demanding better support for the disabled workforce.

The motion noted that the Chancellor’s ‘Plan for Jobs’ in response to the pandemic made only one reference to disabled people and “contained nothing to address the specific challenges facing disabled people”.

The Liberal Democrats are proposing a range of measures to support disabled people into work, including a Jobs Guarantee for unemployed disabled people and an automatic right to work from home.

Speaking after the motion was approved, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Equalities Wera Hobhouse said:

Liberal Democrats are determined to end discrimination against disabled people and so much more needs to be done to that in the workplace.

This pandemic has hit disabled people particularly hard in so many ways, but they and their carers are still too often forgotten and ignored by people in power. The Chancellor’s ‘Plan for Jobs’ last summer contained nothing to address the specific challenges facing disabled people.

Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to introduce a targeted strategy to support disabled people into work as we emerge from this pandemic.

We must do far more to tackle barriers to work for disabled people and to change the way employers view disability.

Read more by or more about or .
This entry was posted in News and Press releases.
Advert

2 Comments

  • Helen Dudden 22nd Mar '21 - 8:39pm

    I’m very interested in category 2/3 housing. Disabled people need to be treated fairly, often they are not. DNR, is not an option and should apply only if requested. It’s not simply a tick box.
    Those who are disabled, and are able to work should have every possible opportunity to do so.
    Having suffered in the past with a sight loss after my illness, all I can say is it’s not easy.
    A more open minded approach is needed for disabled people. Not accountable for those who wished to be housed is not the answer, the government can’t ignore the subject and it goes away.

  • Peter Martin 23rd Mar '21 - 9:43am

    “including a Jobs Guarantee for unemployed disabled people……We must do far more to tackle barriers to work for disabled people and to change the way employers view disability.”

    Exactly. Keynesian full employment policies will be effective for most able bodied workers but probably not for the disabled and other very hard to place potential workers. Several years spent homeless on the streets doesn’t look great on a CV. Arguably, they wouldn’t be homeless in the first place if they’d had a decent job which paid a living wage. The danger is that unemployment leads to unemployability.

    So the cycle of deprivation needs to be broken and we need to allow everyone the opportunity to make a contribution to society within their ability to do so.

    It’s a good step in the right direction!

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-ouch-32613957

Post a Comment

Lib Dem Voice welcomes comments from everyone but we ask you to be polite, to be on topic and to be who you say you are. You can read our comments policy in full here. Please respect it and all readers of the site.

To have your photo next to your comment please signup your email address with Gravatar.

Your email is never published. Required fields are marked *

*
*
Please complete the name of this site, Liberal Democrat ...?

Advert

Recent Comments

  • John Waller
    Tom you say: (Trump) has already threatened Denmark with “massive tariffs” unless it sells him Greenland. Conversely, if he likes a country’s policies, Tr...
  • John Waller
    My father was a Captain in the ACS Heavy Transport before Allenby’s attack on Beersheba on 31 October 2017. He had been in the British Army since the start o...
  • Joseph Bourke
    The risk of displacement from Gaza was not the only threat in Trump’s press conference. Asked whether he would support Israel annexing West Bank “areas”, ...
  • Suzanne Fletcher
    Yes it is tough being a councillor, but yes stick at it in trying to make a difference. You find out how much you did and were appreciated when you retire! The...
  • Craig Levene
    'it’s holding back our country and keeping people poor' Plenty of poverty around in 2016, as there is now. The UK has significant regional divides, none of ...