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The Lead •

People with ME have been neglected by the government and society for too long

I have been ill since I was nine. I am largely housebound and I’ve had periods of being bedbound. There has not been a day in the last decade where I have been free from bone-crushing fatigue and pain. At times, I lost access to my education. I have had to fight for care and to be listened to by doctors. I lost my teenage years to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).Despite three years of delays hampering the publication of a promised cross-government delivery plan on ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS...
The Guardian •

We’re young people from across Britain – here’s how politicians can win our vote

In 2019, Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party embraced the concept of the green new deal, a comprehensive set of integrated policies ranging from creating green jobs to improving home insulation. I was a young climate activist about to vote in a general election for the first time, so a concrete programme for tackling the climate crisis was the push I needed to vote Labour.It’s been a long five years. During this time, I have graduated twice, worked full-time for 10 months, and watched the Conservatives...
The Guardian •

We put seven young people in a group chat to discuss the UK election. This is what happened next

Hi everyone! What’s been on your minds during the election campaign so far?Shaniya Odulawa, 23, graduate, Bexleyheath: The major parties are failing to engage with what people really want. They’re constantly missing the mark.Hassan Ali, 19, student, Ilford: So true, I feel like it just shows they’re either lazy, or almost like avoiding the real issues.Tiger-Lily Snowdon, 19, student, Devon: I’ve been looking through the manifestos and definitely feel quite let down by the major parties on many i...
The i Paper •

I’m a disabled, first-time voter. Sunak has made my choice easy

The Conservative Government has made decision after decision to hurt and disregard disabled people The 2024 elections mark the first time I can vote, and this Government’s alienation of me, alongside 16 million other disabled people in the UK, has made my choice very easy. From downgrading the role of Minister for Disabled People, to threatening welfare benefit cuts, to failings in SEND education, the Conservatives have made decision after decision to hurt and disregard disabled peopl...
Shout Out UK •

Ending the Period Taboo: An Interview with Laura Coryton MBE

Laura Coryton took down the tampon tax. Now she’s trying to revolutionise sex education and empower young girls to stand up, speak up and engage with politics.
Until 2021, Chanel handbags and tampons had one thing in common: the UK Government classed them as luxury, taxable items. This is still rightly true for luxury handbags, but thanks to Laura Coryton and her change.org petition, a feminist movement was sparked that changed the tax system for 51 per cent of the population.
‘I was just really...
Shout Out UK •

The Adaptive Fashion Revolution is Coming

When Victoria Jenkins presented her adaptive fashion brand, Unhidden, on Dragon’s Den it was rejected for investment. On Tuesday, she got the last laugh as her designs for Primark’s new 49-piece adaptive collection went live across the UK.
Roughly 1 in 4 (24 per cent) of the UK’s population has a disability. As Jenkins pointed out in her Dragon’s Den pitch, ‘The disabled community is the world’s largest marginalised group and the only group that anyone can join at any time.’ Despite this, the ad...
Shout Out UK •

Every 10 Minutes … A Woman is Killed: #NoExcuse

Last year, across the world, a woman was killed every ten minutes by an intimate partner or family member. In the UK, one woman is killed every three days. Femicide is the gender-related intentional killing of women. It is the most brutal, extreme and horrifying manifestation of gender-based violence. Globally, an estimated 1 in 3 women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life. When accounting for se...
Shout Out UK •

What the Paralympics Can Teach Us About Inclusion and Excellence

IPC President Andrew Parsons’ 2024 Paralympic opening speech struck a chord when headlines just before the games highlighted the struggles of disabled people battling the transport system.

First and foremost, the Paralympics is and should be about elite sport. But given the world’s focus on disability, the games can provide an incentive for governments, institutions and individuals to address some of the deep-rooted issues that pose barriers for all disabled people.
We know that change can’t ha...
Shout Out UK •

Why You Should Know More About Disability Rights History, and I Should Too

From November 16 until December 16 it’s UK Disability History Month. Thinking of this has made me aware of how little I know of the struggle for disability rights or any other detail of disability history. This shouldn’t be surprising, however, as a recent survey for ITV News found that only 13 per cent of schools across the UK plan to celebrate Disability History Month. If disability history, which impacts such a large segment of our society, is not taught and acknowledged by them, how can we e...
Shout Out UK •

Why the Mechanisms of Politics Should be More Accessible to Disabled People

‘What message does it send to future Disabled leaders!?’ is a question Sophie Morgan, TV presenter and #rightsonflights campaigner, posed on Instagram where upon arrival, she found 10 Downing Street was inaccessible to wheelchair users. How can we tackle issues (that often hit people with disabilities the hardest) if political institutions, and the mechanisms with which to have a voice and create change, are themselves inaccessible?
I believe there are three areas that need to be tackled to faci...