Forum Brief: Disability discrimination

The government is to delay legislation which would ban discrimination against the disabled, according to press reports.

Labour's manifesto at the 2001 general election promised to extend basic rights for the disabled.

But proposed legislation giving new rights and outlawing discrimination against people with long term illnesses such as cancer or HIV are not be in the Queen's Speech, reports the Independent.

Forum Response: Disability Rights Commission

Bert Massie, chairman of the Disability Rights Commission, told ePolitix.com: "Disabled people will fear this is a betrayal of their rights, leaving them open to the most blatant forms of discrimination without redress. Raising awareness and spreading good practice will not work unless underpinned by the force of law.

"The DRC has to turn away disabled people if the law cannot help them. The government has acknowledged the gaps in the DDA and there is cross-party consensus on the need for change. These unfulfilled promises will leave disabled people feeling even more frustrated and excluded.

"We can only hope that this is a promise delayed not a promise broken. We urge the government to work with the DRC and disability organisations in the coming weeks, to bring to an end the discrimination that faces so many disabled people - sapping energy, denying life chances, wasting their potential and making them feel like second class citizens.

"We urge the government to commit, publicly and soon, to introducing the early legislation needed to make the 21st century one of hope and opportunity for disabled people."

Forum Response: The Disabilities Trust

James Rye, director of external affairs at The Disabilities Trust, told ePolitix.com: "This story, if true, is very bad news for the disabled community especially after the government pledged in its 2001 general election manifesto to ban discrimination against the disabled.

"It is essential that good practice be underpinned by legislation enforcing basic civil rights especially in areas where there is currently legal discrimination against disabled people, such as housing and transport. Reliable, suitably tailored transport provision and affordable housing are crucial to enabling disabled people to live full and independent lives, as they are for us all.

"The government cannot claim to be a friend of the disabled community and fail to put in place adequate measures to tackle continued discrimination."