Speaking at today's launch of Disability Wales' “Access to Politics Grassroots Network: Charter”, North Wales MS and Chair of the Cross-Party Groups on Disability, on Autism and on Deaf Issues, Mark Isherwood, stressed that "the under-representation of disabled people at UK and devolved levels cannot be ignored".
Mr Isherwood stressed that "with pressing challenges, such as Inclusive Education, Accessible Transport, Social Care and Welfare Reform, all requiring solutions during the next Senedd term, it is imperative that disabled people are adequately represented".
He spoke of the Access to Politics Grassroots project, which aims to promote greater political participation amongst disabled people, raising awareness about opportunities for political involvement, as well as championing disability equality and inclusion in political representation at all levels of government.
He said:
"The project formed a grassroots network for disabled people interested and/or involved in politics; and, with members, co-produced the Access to Politics Charter, setting out practical steps for political parties to follow, ensuring greater inclusion of disabled people within party structures.
"As the Charter states, ‘Disabled people represent one fifth of the Welsh population, however this is not reflected among elected members across Wales. The absence of disabled people in decision making roles means that policies and services are not informed by lived experience’.”
He added:
"Before the 2024 UK General Election, the disability charity Sense found nearly half of disabled people in the UK felt they weren’t important to political parties, with one in four not optimistic that life will improve for disabled people under a new Government.
"The under-representation of disabled people at UK and devolved levels cannot be ignored, and political parties, Governments and the Parliamentary authorities must take action to truly improve this picture.
"With pressing challenges, such as Inclusive Education, Accessible Transport, Social Care and Welfare Reform, all requiring solutions during the next Senedd term, it is imperative that disabled people are adequately represented."
Mr Isherwood went on to stress that the problem of under-representation does not stop with elected Members.
He said:
"There are challenges to ensuring public appointments reflect the wider population in Wales. For example, data published in March 2025 by the Welsh Government suggests that there is an under-representation of disabled people on Public Sector Boards.
"In 2022, the Senedd’s Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, which I Chair, launched an inquiry into public appointments. The Committee set out to consider, among other things, barriers to ensuring diversity in public appointments.
"In its subsequent report in 2025, the Committee raised several concerns relating to the lack of diversity of candidates for public roles and the accessibility of the appointment process.
“The Charter calls for the adoption of the Social Model of Disability in policy and practice. Over many years, I have encouraged national and local Public Bodies to incorporate the Social Model of Disability into everything they do, from legislation to service design— recognising that people are not disabled by their impairments, but by the barriers to access and inclusion which society places in their way, and that we must work with disabled people to remove these, seeing the world through their eyes, giving them the voice, choice, control and independence they seek and deserve.
“I have been delighted to take part in the ‘Equal Power Equal Voice’ cross-equalities mentoring programme to increase diverse representation in public and political life in Wales.
“Speaking personally, I welcome this Charter and commend its aims. Speaking for my Party, I know they will agree with much of it, and that by using this Charter, we can ensure that Welsh politics reflects the diversity, talent, and lived experience of all the people we represent.”
