The United Kingdom (UK) is a democracy. In the UK there are too many people to all discuss all the decisions about how the country is run. Therefore, representatives are elected to make decisions.
Representatives include Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and local councillors.
The UK Parliament meets in Westminster, London. It has three parts:
The Crown- the Queen – Head of State, approves laws The House of Lords – Check proposed laws, make amendments The House of Commons – Debate proposals and make laws
When did the UK become a democracy?
Britain did not become a democracy until the Representation of the People Acts of 1918 and 1928 that gave the vote to all men and women over the age of 21.
Is UK a representative democracy?
Nearly all modern Western-style democracies are types of representative democracies; for example, the United Kingdom is a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy, France is a unitary semi-presidential republic, and the United States is a federal presidential republic.
How do democracies work?
Democracy is government in which power and civic responsibility are exercised by all adult citizens, directly, or through their democratically elected representatives. Democracy rests upon the principles of majority rule and individual rights. … Fair, frequent, and well-managed elections are essential in a democracy.
Democracy and Disability
Only 6 British MPs identify as disabled. In a world where 1 in 7 people have a disability, this lack of representation is a serious threat to the inclusion of disabled people in UK policy matters.
The UK Parliament has been a vocal promoter of disability inclusion and the leave no one behind agenda. There are several All Party Parliamentary Groups focused on disability and of the 0.7% of GNI ringfenced for international development, disability is a priority issue. https://www.add.org.uk/disability-and-democracy-uk
The Purple Vote Campaign in Wales hope to do the same.
Welsh Parliament There are 60 Members of the Senedd (MSs) of the Welsh Parliament. To vote in the Welsh Parliament elections you must:
• be registered to vote • be 16 or over on the day of the election (‘polling day’) • live in Wales • not be legally excluded from voting
MSs are elected using the Additional Member system. You vote once for your constituency MS and once for an MS to represent the wider region.
Wales is in the west of Great Britain and is part of the UK. It has a population of 3 million. The capital city of Wales is Cardiff. People in Wales speak English and many people also speak Welsh which is quite different and older than English. Street signs in Wales are written in both languages. Wales has been politically linked with England since 1542. Wales was an independent country until it was defeated by the English army. Wales has some independence in making its own laws, but it is still very much part of the UK political system.
An estimated 20% of the population are disabled, but only 1.5% of councillors are known to have a disability.
About 600,000 people in Wales have a disability, but very few councils hold data on how many councillors are disabled.
BBC research showed of the 1,254 councillors elected in May, just 19 are known by local authorities to be living with an impairment or long-term health condition.
First of all, you must register to vote, but only once you’re 18 years old or older on the day of the election. In Scotland and Wales you can vote at age 16 or over.
You can register online or by post. However, you cannot vote online in any elections.
Physically challenged voters and wheelchair users can vote in person because all polling stations are wheelchair accessible. They also have the option of voting by post. As a wheelchair user, while living in Bradford as a student, I voted in person. I’ve also voted in person at the St. John’s Anglican church in Ilkley.
Most politicians like to say ‘don’t vote, don’t complain.’
However the disabled community has every right to complain if they’ve asked for reasonable adjustments but get ignored every time.
Voting is about getting your voice heard. Voting is the starting point for political action. It’s about sharing political concerns, expectations and solutions. Disability voting is about tackling and dismantling oppressive systems of injustice. It is also about holding our politicians accountable. Voting should reimagine law enforcement, as well as reinforce disability justice, disability rights and disability advocacy.
The next step after campaigning and voting would be debating disability related issues. Canvassing is about relationship building. Canvassing will most likely highlight voters concerns. It is very difficult to debate sensitive subjects that you are passionate about like Euthanasia, without letting your emotions run high.
During my high school years, I had the privilege of participating in a political group called ‘Youth Parliament Bermuda.’ While on this team, I got a chance to debate various topics in the House of Assembly with other students. http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20070517/NEWS/305179917.
Netflix even has a disability revolution movie entitled, ‘Crip Camp’, which is a documentary about a groundbreaking summer camp which galvanizes a group of teens with disabilities, to help build a movement forging a new path towards greater equality. It also shows great impacts on disability rights and advocacy.
Also, voting and elections is about power. Purple is also associated with royalty. The reason why the colour purple is used to represent disability is because it’s about identity : https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-ouch-25767082. As a member of the Purple Vote Campaign, this is important to know.
Disability representation is important for inclusion, equality and identity. ‘DISABILITY VOTE MATTERS!’
Voting might be more difficult this year than at any other point in history due to global pandemic and lack of access to voting options. This is why we are raising awareness about voting resources, rights, and the importance of the disability vote. We need everyone involved to make positive change in our communities.
You must be logged in to post a comment.