Campaign needed to tackle discrimination against disabled - Alexander

5.28.07pm GMT Wed 24th Jan 2007

A campaign to tackle misunderstanding and prejudice about disabled people is urgently needed, Liberal Democrat Disability Spokesperson, Danny Alexander MP said today after the British Social Attitudes survey revealed negative views are still widely held.

Mr Alexander said:

"Prejudice against, and misunderstanding of, disabled people is still far too prevalent in Britain today. There is a huge lack of understanding of what disability is, and attitudes to people with mental health problems are particularly negative.

"These attitudes affect every aspect of the lives of disabled people, particularly their prospects of finding work. There are millions of disabled people who want to work, but they struggle to overcome the misconceptions many employers have about disability. According to Rethink, less than 40% of employers would employ someone with a mental illness.

"Experience in Scotland and New Zealand shows that high profile campaigns to tackle stigma can make a real difference. The Government must undertake a major anti-stigma campaign to tackle these negative attitudes. Changing attitudes is vital to improving the life chances of disabled people."