LIB DEM CONFERENCE: Euro-MP calls for disabled people's rights

11.00.17am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 22nd Sep 2003

West Midlands Euro-MP Liz Lynne will today be proposing a motion at the Liberal Democrats Conference in Brighton, calling for disabled people's rights to be respected at the UK, EU and international level.

Speaking in advance of the debate, Liz said:

"The UK is better than many EU countries in recognising the rights of disabled people, but it is by no means perfect. In particular, local authorities should be given the power and obligation to work with the Disability Rights Commission and disabled people themselves to enforce full access to goods and services.

"Earlier this month, the European Parliament adopted my report supporting the establishment of a legally binding UN Convention on Disabled People's rights. Significantly, they also supported the principle that the European Union must lead by example and establish a comprehensive Disability Directive to guarantee European citizens full access to goods, services and education.

"The next obstacle is convincing the European Commission. The motion being debated at conference today commits the Liberal Democrat to put its weight behind establishing an EU-wide Disability Directive and calls on the UK Government to do the same.

"We must move away from the medical model of disability once and for all and move to a social or rights-based model."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Liz Lynne is a Vice Chair of the European Parliament's Disability Intergroup and Rapporteur for the European Year of People with Disabilities 2003.

The motion will be debated on Monday 22 August and calls for:

· The UK Government and MEPs to put pressure on the European Commission to bring forward a Disability Directive at the earliest possible opportunity.

· Support for the UN's agreement to set up a legally binding convention on disabled people's rights.

· Local authorities to be given the power and obligation to properly enforce disability anti-discrimination legislation, complementing the work of the Disability Rights Commission.