We had a constructive and positive joint meeting with Stephen Timms MP, The Minister for Disability in April 2026. The meeting was held jointly with colleagues from Disability Rights UK, Girlguiding, and The Disability Policy Centre, to discuss how to break down barriers and increase the number of disabled women in politics and elected office.
We welcomed progress towards establishing a new fund for disabled candidates. The Minister shared that the aim is for the fund to be in place by the end of the year, in time for the next set of elections in May 2027. While we were encouraged by this indication, we emphasised the importance of setting out a clear public timeline to provide certainty and maintain momentum. Disabled people need confidence that the fund will be in place so they can plan and take the next steps towards contesting an election.
We also highlighted the importance of ensuring the fund is long-term and sustainable—potentially by placing it on a statutory footing through the Representation of the People Bill.
Alongside this, we emphasised the importance of bringing Section 106 of the Equality Act into force to improve transparency on the diversity of candidates, and the need for clarity on next steps and timelines.
The discussion also covered a wide range of related issues, including ensuring that the introduction of votes at 16 takes account of the needs of young disabled people, improving the accessibility of voting, the role of political parties, and making the House of Commons more accessible. We also discussed the importance of including access to democracy and elected office in the upcoming disability strategy.
We welcome the Minister’s engagement on these issues and look forward to continuing to work together.