Ed Miliband the labour Leader is a guest of Disability Rights UK and South Yorkshire Centre for Independent Living
On Friday January 9th the labour leader Ed Miliband was a guest of DR UK at the offices of one of its member organisations, the South Yorkshire Centre for Independent Living (SYCIL).
Karen Smith CEO of SYCIL was able to outline the work of the organisation and introduce the labour leader to staff and beneficiaries. Ed watched Jane process a voucher for a local food bank, witnessed users of a digital skills project skype each other and met Toyarl who had successfully pooled her personal budgets and now employs seven different PAs at different times and for different needs.
Through DART a local community arts organisation Ed was also able to meet beneficiaries of the talent match project and talk to two young people with learning difficulties.
Finally Ed and another Doncaster MP, the shadow chief whip Rosie Winterton, joined Philip Connolly from Disability Rights UK and its next chair Asif Hussain for a discussion focusing upon personalisation in social care and employment support.
At the end the labour Leader was asked to commit to a keynote speech on disability before the general election and was pressed to ensure that forthcoming House of Commons debate on the Disabled Student Allowance went to a vote.