Disability rights campaigners in London are speaking out after the Labour Party failed to include any disabled people on its shortlist for local candidates in a recent selection process.
By The Canary
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from activists and community members, who say it reflects a broader pattern of exclusion and underrepresentation of disabled voices in political leadership.
One disabled Labour member described the move as “deeply disappointing” and “a step backward” for inclusive politics, especially given the party’s past pledges to champion equality and accessibility.
“We’re not asking for favours—we’re asking for fair representation,” said one activist.
Campaigners are calling on Labour to urgently review its internal candidate selection processes and commit to meaningful inclusion of disabled people across all levels of public office. As the UK moves toward its next general election, the incident has renewed debate about what real representation looks like—and whether parties are doing enough to remove the systemic barriers faced by disabled citizens in civic life.
