Post by gem on Jan 9, 2003 16:20:10 GMT -5
Plans to set up the first ever disabled people's parliament have sparked fears of a new rift within the disabled people's movement.
The British Council of Disabled People (BCODP) has received £50,000 in government funding to set up the body which will consist of 180 unpaid "Members
of the Disabled People's Parliament" - or MDPPs.
They will be democratically elected by disabled people in their local areas.
BCODP hopes to hold the first elections in June and have the parliament running by October.
BCODP said the parliament would increase the profile of disabled people and encourage more disabled people to get involved in public life.
But other disabled people's organisations say the plans have been poorly thought through and could drain local organisations of talented campaigners.
Reg McLaughlin, chief executive of Greater London Action on Disability, a BCODP member, said: "There's no clear picture of why this is happening. It needs much more debate. They should be campaigning for comprehensive civil rights. How they achieve that is not by a disabled people's parliament."
He said the lack of debate risked splitting the disabled people's movement.
Anne Begg MP, who is disabled, said getting disabled people's voices heard on disability issues was important, but it was crucial they had a voice in
mainstream politics.
She questioned how MDPPs would be able to keep in touch with their constituents properly without a salary and with limited funding.
Several campaigners complained BCODP failed to consult widely enough on the plans.
The award of the grant came as BCODP sent out appeals to help ease its current funding crisis.
The jobs of five members of staff are at risk if new donors are not found by March, it said.
BCODP chief executive Andy Rickell denied it was the wrong time for the organisation to launch such an ambitious project. "We've never had a secure
funding base but we've still done a lot of good work over the years. There's no wrong time to do the right thing."
BCODP hopes to get government funding to build an accessible conference centre for the parliament and lottery funding to secure its future when the grant runs out.
The British Council of Disabled People (BCODP) has received £50,000 in government funding to set up the body which will consist of 180 unpaid "Members
of the Disabled People's Parliament" - or MDPPs.
They will be democratically elected by disabled people in their local areas.
BCODP hopes to hold the first elections in June and have the parliament running by October.
BCODP said the parliament would increase the profile of disabled people and encourage more disabled people to get involved in public life.
But other disabled people's organisations say the plans have been poorly thought through and could drain local organisations of talented campaigners.
Reg McLaughlin, chief executive of Greater London Action on Disability, a BCODP member, said: "There's no clear picture of why this is happening. It needs much more debate. They should be campaigning for comprehensive civil rights. How they achieve that is not by a disabled people's parliament."
He said the lack of debate risked splitting the disabled people's movement.
Anne Begg MP, who is disabled, said getting disabled people's voices heard on disability issues was important, but it was crucial they had a voice in
mainstream politics.
She questioned how MDPPs would be able to keep in touch with their constituents properly without a salary and with limited funding.
Several campaigners complained BCODP failed to consult widely enough on the plans.
The award of the grant came as BCODP sent out appeals to help ease its current funding crisis.
The jobs of five members of staff are at risk if new donors are not found by March, it said.
BCODP chief executive Andy Rickell denied it was the wrong time for the organisation to launch such an ambitious project. "We've never had a secure
funding base but we've still done a lot of good work over the years. There's no wrong time to do the right thing."
BCODP hopes to get government funding to build an accessible conference centre for the parliament and lottery funding to secure its future when the grant runs out.
