The BDA welcomes a new petition to restore the Access to Elected Office Fund by More United, fronted by former BDA director David Buxton alongside Emily Brothers and Simeon Hart.
Without the fund Deaf and disabled candidates have to pay for the costs of interpreters, support workers, and any other access they need. That means that Deaf and disabled candidates are not competing on an equal basis with other candidates. There are currently only 5 MPs with a disability when there should be a lot more.
The fund was frozen and put ‘under review’ in 2015, but has since remained closed. The BDA supports the More United’s petition to Amber Rudd to reopen the fund ahead of legal action being taken. You can sign the petition using this link: www.moreunited.uk/restore-the-fund
If the case goes through to the courts, this will be the second landmark case for the Deaf community brought forward by David Buxton in recent months, following the announcement of his case against the Access to Work cap at the end of 2017
