DPAC: Job Sharing for MPs and support for John McDonnell’s attempts to help more disabled people into Parliament

Posted on DPAC at: June 14th, 2012.

John McDonnell, MP who has always been very supportive of DPAC and who we work closely with has asked for help to try to get legislation through parliament to allow job-sharing for MPs.

For many disabled people being an MP full-time would never be a viable option and the only way more disabled people with a range of valuable life experiences, and knowledge of disability could contemplate becoming an MP would be for there to be a job-share system for MPs.

The UNCRPD article 29 is specific in stating that persons with disabilities should have the right to participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others. Unless job-sharing for MPs is introduced this is yet another area of the UNCRPD where the government continue to fail to adhere to the convention.

This would of course not just encourage more disabled people to become MPs but would also be an advantage to women especially those with children and so would facilitate also encouraging another under-represented minority group to take amore active role in politics.

Please could we ask people to email John to say they would be interested/more likely to consider standing as an MP if they could job-share. He needs to be able to say he’s been contacted by lots of disabled people about this to try to make it a reality.

His email address is john.mcdonnell.mp@parliament.uk  

If your email bounces back please resend it another time.

Please watch the videos at www.disabilitypolitics.org.uk - John’s
asks for people to contact him if they can be a job share MP and Caroline’s asks people to write to their MPs in support. There is also the e-petition on the site too.