As a party, Labour is determined to be led by disabled people, the experts by experience.

As Shadow Minister for Disabled People, I spoke to as many disabled people, charities, disabled people organisations, unions and other civil society organisations as possible.

These roadshows, which began in 2021,  were part of a four-year engagement programme to ensure disabled people are at the heart of our party’s policy development.

The write ups from the 2021 roadshows are available here. Our focus for this first round was the Government’s National Disability Strategy and health and disability benefits Green Paper, which were finally published in July 2021.

2022 Roadshows

This time around, we worked with regional disabled people’s organisations to hold roadshows themed around key issues. I hosted every event but was also be joined by shadow ministers from the relevant teams/other key politicians.

The themes and speakers were picked following a series of meetings with disabled people and disabled people’s organisations from across the country.

All dates are listed below. Please feel free to register for any which are of interest to you and let us know if you have any accessibility requirements.

Please note, registration for each roadshow will close two weeks before, with the exception of the first which will close one week before.

Wednesday 9th February – 2.00pm
Region: East of England
Theme: Transport, benefits and social care
Speakers: Karin Smyth (Shadow Minister for Social Care), Tan Dhesi (Shadow Minister for Transport)
Registration has now closed.

Thursday 24th February – 2.00pm
Region: North West
Theme: Enforcement of the Equality Act
Speakers: Steve Reed (Shadow Secretary of State for Justice), Andy Burnham (Mayor of Greater Manchester)
Registration has now closed.

Thursday 17th March – 2.00pm
Region: Yorkshire and the Humber
Theme: Housing
Speaker: Alex Norris MP-  Shadow Minister for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Registration has now closed.

Thursday 28th April – 2.00pm
Region: London
Theme: Disabled People’s Organisations: funding and capacity building
Speakers: Jonathan Ashworth (Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions), Baroness Jenny Chapman (Shadow Cabinet Office Minister), Pat McFadden (Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury)
Registration has now closed.

Thursday 12th May – 2.00pm
Region: South East
Theme: Independent living
Speaker: TBC
Registration has now closed.

Wednesday 25th May – 1.30pm
Region: East Midlands
Theme: Early intervention, signposting and role of third sector    
Speaker: Baroness Jenny Chapman (Shadow Cabinet Office Minister)
Registration has now closed.

Thursday 9th June – 11.00am
Region: Wales
Theme: Welfare system and legal aid 
Speakers: Jonathan Ashworth (Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions), Steve Reed (Shadow Secretary of State for Justice), Jo Stevens (Shadow Secretary of State for Wales)
Registration has now closed.

Saturday 18th June – 11.00am 
Region: North East
Theme: Employment, assessments and mental health
Speaker: Jonathan Ashworth (Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions)
Registration has now closed.

Thursday 30th June – 2.00pm
Region: West Midlands
Theme: How to end the ‘postcode lottery’  
Speaker: Alex Norris MP-  Shadow Minister for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Registration has now closed.

Thursday 14th July – 2.00pm
Region: South West
Theme: Welfare and employment
Speaker: Jonathan Ashworth (Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions)
Registration has now closed.

Wednesday 20th July – 2.00pm
Region: Scotland
Theme: Welfare benefits and employment
Speaker: Jonathan Ashworth (Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) and Pam Duncan Glancy (Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice & Social Security)
Registration has now closed.