Aims
Our aims are:
- To campaign for and achieve full civil rights for disabled people, including comprehensive and enforceable legislation
- To provide a platform for disabled people in the Labour Party
- To monitor and encourage the best possible practice by Labour within party operations, in public office at European, national, regional and local government level to meet the needs of disabled people both in employment practice and the provision of services.
- To encourage disabled people to join the Labour Party and their fullest involvement at all levels and secure the removal of all barriers to their participation.
- To monitor and influence the Party’s decision making with regards to the rights and interests of disabled people.
- To advise the Labour Party how best to campaign for and win the votes of disabled people, which will include accessible processes.
- To cooperate with other organisations of disabled people.To be a socialist society as a means of securing the right of disabled people to be represented and heard at all levels of the Labour Party.
Twelve Point plan for a Socialist DL
When the 2018 Executive were elected they promised to put this plan into action – much has been achieved, but there is still work to do!
1. Free membership for all Labour Party members with a disability or informal carers of disabled members. Funding to come from affiliations and donations.
Achieved
2. We will be a strong campaigning voice for disabled members & their carers, within the LP and externally.
On-going
3. We will implement OMOV for all DL elections. Participation at DL AGMs and Conferences to be available by remote access. We will campaign for this to be implemented across the Labour Party.
Work in progress
4. Exec meetings be monthly and to be fully accessible via Zoom for members unable to travel. Open to members to attend with time for questions and contributions.
Achieved
5. Officers will be directly contactable and responsive to enquiries and concerns. All Officer roles will be a job-share to ensure continuity should a post holder be unable to carry their duties temporarily.
Achieved
6. Minutes of Exec Meetings will be published promptly. Members will receive regular updates about campaigns and other important issues. Accounts will be properly audited and present in an Annual Report.
On-going
7. We will adopt the DEAL handbook and “It’s our Party – Let us in”. We will campaign with Project 125 and other DPOs such as DPAC.
On-going
8. We will set up working groups to develop Labour Party Policy on Disability issues and work with the Parliamentary Labour Party.
Work in progress
9. We will set up strands to support members who are Neuro-diverse, have learning disabilities and who are unwaged carers of adults or children with disabilities.
Still to do
10. We will:
a) liaise with CLPs to disseminate information.
b) provide expert advice and training throughout the party on reasonable adjustments for disabled members.
c) develop training for CLPs on disability and mental health equality.
Work in progress
11. We will campaign for dedicated disabled members seats on Regional Boards, the National Executive Committee, National Policy Forum and all Conference Arrangements Committees.
Work in progress
12. We will support and endorse disabled members standing for public office and LP positions. We will campaign for inclusion of disabled candidates on all short lists for local government and parliamentary elections.
Work in progress