Meet your candidates
Meeting with candidates is a good way of understanding their priorities, building relationships and securing commitments
Meeting with Candidates
Meeting with candidates who are running for office is a crucial step. Through conversations, we can evaluate their understanding of disability issues and their commitment to The Disabled People’s Manifesto, which is essential for us. It is a great opportunity to secure concrete commitments from them. Let’s take advantage of this opportunity to make sure that their policies align with our shared vision.
Take action and write to your electoral candidates today
To make a real impact, we recommend taking action now. Send an email to political parties and electoral candidates (see template below)
Find out about candidates in your area
To find the list of candidates running for election in your area along with their contact details, please click on the provided link Who Can I Vote For?
Template Letter to Arrange a Meeting with Election Candidates
Dear [Candidate Name],
We are reaching out to you collectively as a local Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisation deeply committed to advocating for the rights of disabled people. Our support is firmly behind The Disabled People’s Manifesto, which echoes our unified voice for change. We believe in the necessity of creating an inclusive society where Disabled people are actively involved in shaping the policies that affect their lives.
The Disabled People’s Manifesto lays out a plan of strategic reforms to facilitate the participation and independence of Disabled people in all aspects of life. It emphasises the importance of amplifying the voices of Disabled people through Deaf and Disabled People’s Organizations (DDPOs) and calls for protecting and enforcing rights under international conventions. Our primary objective is to achieve concrete and practical changes to eliminate the barriers impeding disabled people from fully participating in society.
With the upcoming elections, we ask for your commitment to the Disabled People’s Manifesto. These reforms are more than policies; they are a roadmap to a future where Disabled people enjoy the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. We are the electorate who will stand by those who stand by us.
We want to meet with you to discuss how to collaborate to achieve these reforms.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Title or Position]
[Your Organisation Name]
Link to The Disabled People’s Manifesto: https://www.disabledpeoplesmanifesto.com/manifesto
Preparing for Candidate Meetings
If you want to make the most out of your meetings with candidates, it’s crucial to familiarise yourself with The Disabled People’s Manifesto co-produced by Disabled individuals and DDPOs for the upcoming general elections. This manifesto encapsulates the key concerns and priorities of the Disabled community, providing a valuable framework for your discussions with candidates
Key Tips
- In line with political impartiality guidance and to make your campaign as effective as possible, we strongly recommend contacting candidates from all the major parties to request a meeting
- You can find more information about maintaining impartiality during the general election by clicking this link: Campaigning at election time – What you need to know.
- Arrange to meet as a group, if you can, to show your collective power
- Prepare an agenda and questions beforehand. We have put together a set of questions below
- Keep the conversation on track. Politicians like to talk a lot and you may need to be bold and use conversation turners like “sorry, but can I just bring you back to the question”
- Stick to your asks
- Take a photo and Video for social media and the press
- Take along a pledge card and ask candidates if they’ll commit to your local campaign ask. A good way to show visual support is by asking them to hold up a printable A4 or A3 pledge poster or board. This will make a great photo opportunity which you can also share on social media.
- Follow up with an email thanking the the candidate for their time, restate what they committed to and attach any further information
Suggested questions to ask parties and candidates
Good questions are key as they will allow you to probe candidates’ positions and even secure pledges that you can use to hold elected councillors to account. Below are a set of questions. Make sure to tailor the questions as much as possible to your local context.
Inclusivity in Political Roles
- How do you plan to help more Disabled people get involved in government roles, like in parliament or civil service, at all levels?
Funding for Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs)
- Can you share your ideas for supporting and providing more funds to Deaf and Disabled People Organisations?
Election Accessibility
- Do you think it’s a good idea to bring back the Access to Elections Fund, which helps cover extra costs for Deaf and Disabled election candidates?
Co-Production of Policies with Disabled People
- How do you plan to work with disabled people and their groups when making policies?
Representation and Advocacy
- What actions will you take to ensure that organisations representing disabled people are actively involved in government decision-making?
Election Accessibility for Disabled Candidates
- What are your thoughts on creating a special fund to help Disabled candidates during elections?
Independence
- How will you ensure that Disabled people get the proper support when they apply for welfare benefits?
Right to Independent Living
- The United Nations says disabled people have a right to live independently. How will you make this a reality?
Social Care and Support
- What will you do to solve the social care crisis, scrap care charges, and ensure funding goes to community support instead of institutional care?
Accessible and Affordable Housing
- How do you plan to increase the availability of accessible social housing?
Housing Standards and Safety
- Will you follow the Grenfell inquiry’s suggestion to create Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for disabled people in flats?
Inclusion Education
- What steps will you take to make education more inclusive for disabled students?
Infrastructure for Inclusive Access
- What are your plans to make public spaces and transportation more accessible for disabled people?
Workplace Inclusion and Equality for Disabled Employees
- What actions will you take to create a more inclusive workplace for disabled people and address the issues of lower pay and discrimination?
Employment Support and Access to Work Program
- What strategies do you have to help disabled people find and keep good jobs?