Unfortunately both the planned hustings events for Mitcham & Morden constituency and for Wimbledon constituency had to be cancelled. We still want to give people the opportunity to find out candidates’ views on the issues which matter to local Disabled people.

We sent the following questions to the candidates who were invited to the hustings events and asked them to respond by 31st May.

We asked:

As an introduction, we would like you to introduce yourself and tell us what do you think are the major barriers facing Disabled people, across the full spectrum of disability, in this constituency, and what would you do as MP to address them?

Our top 5 questions for candidates:

1. At the end of last year, the UK became the first state to be investigated by the UN Disability Committee and found guilty of grave and systematic violations of Disabled people’s rights due to welfare reform. In just one example, 2,500 Disabled people are expected to lose out in Merton during the transfer from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payments. How will you support Disabled constituents left with no income as a result of benefit changes, delays, and sanctions?

2. The proportion of Disabled people who say they have choice and control over their lives is reducing, and cuts to services are undermining Disabled people’s dignity and independence. How will you support independent living for Disabled people?

3. 500 disabled people a year in Merton experience Hate Crime. What will you do to tackle this?

4. How will you ensure a fully inclusive education system, ensuring that local academies and free school do not discriminate against Disabled pupils and all schools have sufficient funding to support Disabled pupils?

5. Disabled people in Merton poorer health and wellbeing than non-disabled people. Disabled people are less satisfied with life, less happy, and more anxious. What will you do to address this situation?

We are looking forward to finding out what the candidates have to say!