People with Learning Disability Go Green!

7 April 2015

On Thursday 2nd April, the Green Party were voted the party most likely to represent the interests of people with learning disabilities by the Learning Disability Alliance's Citizens Jury vote.

The Alliance, made up of over 1000 people with learning disability and 500 organisations, voted to endorse the Greens as the Party most likely to best represent their interests at the General Election.

The Jury, made up of 7 people with learning disability and 4 family members, chose the Green Party after interviewing all 5 main parties at an event held in central London.

Each Party made their case in a 15 minute presentation before the Jury asked questions.

Marion Turner-Hawes, the Green Party Parliamentary candidate for Wellingborough in Northants, presented the Green Party case.

Marion Turner-Hawes, commenting later on the Green Party's success, said:

"The Green Party is all about community and each of us standing up together. I think people really liked that we have an alternative and compassionate vision for the future, one which does not involve any more cuts to benefits or Social Care and includes people with disabilities playing a vital role at the heart of our communities and being paid well for doing so.

"Disabled people have been treated appallingly by the Coalition Government. We are determined that under a Green Government people with learning disabilities will have opportunities to have good homes, well paid jobs and good lives. We also want to see people and families leading in their lives and no longer having to put up with abuse or the kind of horrendous neglect witnessed at Winterbourne View or some other care institutions".

On hearing the result Turner-Hawkes invited all people with disabilities to

"VOTE GREEN on 7th May to start building our communities and lives together with love and respect".

NOTES

(1) Prominent Organisation members of the LDa include;- the Foundation for people with Learning Disability, The Association for Real Change (ARC), The National Valuing Families Forum, The Housing and Support Alliance (H&SA), Choices Support and People First England.

For a full report on the Citizen's jury see here.