Parliament Disabled MPs call lack of accessibility 'insane'

MPs with disabilities have spoken about the challenges they face working in parliament, criticising the "insane" lack of provisions and arcane, time-consuming procedures.

- Peter Walker

Lucy Powell, the Commons leader, who also chairs its modernisation committee, said she would be "very in favour of" bringing in call lists for when MPs will speak, one of the adjustments called for by MPs on the committee. Such lists are used for ministerial questions but not for debates, except during the pandemic.

She was speaking after the committee heard evidence from a series of MPs and former MPs with disabilities about the difficulties of working in the parliamentary estate.

Marie Tidball, a Labour MP elected in 2024, said she had been given an accessible office and that staff and party whips had been very helpful but said the method of speaking in Commons debates was very hard for her. This, she added, severely marred her maiden speech.