The Labour party is making a strong pitch for Deaf votes in the General Election.
Dawn Butler MP, who hit the headlines in March when she signed a question in BSL in Parliament, has now signed a video with brief highlights of the Labour manifesto.
The video has gained many plaudits in the comments on Facebook, with one commenter saying this was a “milestone”, however it has also been criticised for not making it clear that it was signed in SSE (Sign Supported English) rather than full BSL.
The party has also pledged to legally recognise BSL, a fact that was picked up by (among others) one of our regular writers, Ian Noon:
One notes with interest that Labour party manifesto contains pledge to give BSL “full recognition” as a language https://t.co/lY2LOi9TcS
— Ian Noon (@iannoon) May 16, 2017
Watch Dawn Butler’s video below or see it directly on Facebook here.
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mjfahey
May 22, 2017
This is good, they are not quite with it, but they are trying… which is more than other parties are. Recognition of BSL is a big thing… good for them!
Tim
May 22, 2017
Excellent, but there are some other good things in the Labour manifesto that may benefit Deaf people:
– Will sign the UNCRPD (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) into UK law.
– Will reverse the privatisation of the NHS.
– Scrap the punitive social security sanctions regime.
– Scrap the bedroom tax.
– Reinstate Housing Benefit for under 21s.
– Replace the Work Capability and PIP assessments.
– End re-assessments of people with long-term conditions.
– Do a report on expanding Access to Work.
– Will improve the Equality Act so that disabled people can have better access to justice.
– Will address disability hate crime.
– Will work to reverse the damage done by the Tories to mental health services.
– Will reinstate protection from third party harassment i.e. by a fellow employee at work.
– Will improve diversity both on and off screen.
– Will make sporting events accessible to all.
– Will introduce an Economic Equality Bill to deal with stubborn inequality
– Will make the EHRC Equality and Human Rights Commission truly independent and not part of government.
There may be a few more good policies if you read the Labour manifesto, and it makes a nice change from the Tories just booting us in the face.