Inclusive Parliament Coalition update

A coalition pushing to make Parliament inclusive for people with speech differences shares a video of good practice around stammering from Portugal in its evidence to a committee. 

Last month, the Inclusive Parliament Coalition, which includes STAMMA, gave further evidence to the Modernisation Committee, a body put together to improve standards and accessibility in the House of Commons. 

The evidence included a video of MP Joacine Katar Moreira, showing her being given space to stammer in the Portuguese Parliament. This, the coalition argued, is an example of how UK politics could improve and move away from the hostile environment it currently is.

The story so far…

As a recap, in July 2024, the House of Commons agreed to set up a Modernisation Committee tasked with reforming procedures and improving standards in Parliament.

Fortuitously, it happened not long after STAMMA created a petition calling for Parliament to sort itself out and become more inclusive for people with speech differences. This followed the case of Chris Nelson, who withdrew his candidacy to become the MP for Kettering because of hostile treatment towards his stammer from those around him.

When the Modernisation Committee invited bodies to come forward and suggest ways for it to improve, the Inclusive Parliament Coalition was formed. Made up of over 30 organisations including STAMMA and the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists, the coalition set about putting their case together. 

In June this year, it gave evidence to the committee, with former STAMMA Trustee Gill Rudd speaking on behalf of the coalition. 

New evidence: good practice from Portugal

With the committee currently deliberating, the Inclusive Parliament Coalition submitted supplementary written evidence last month to show an example of good practice towards someone who stammers. 

Backing up their case, it drew the committee's attention to a moment in the Portuguese Parliament in 2021 when MP Joacine Katar Moreira, who has a stammer, was afforded time and respect to express herself without interruption or ridicule. You can watch the clip of Moreira talking at the top of this page.

The evidence contrasted this with a link to a clip on YouTube of when Ed Balls was jeered in the House of Commons when he corrected what he was saying and subsequently stammered. 

By highlighting this difference, the coalition emphasised the importance of embedding cultural and procedural change. Kirsten Howells from STAMMA said, "The reason why this is particularly interesting is because stammering really is central to this evidence and there's a real focus on how the behaviour of MPs in the chamber has an effect on whether or not speakers with speech disabilities are given space to speak or not".

The Committee is expected to publish its report with full recommendations later this year, so we'll keep you posted. 

In another development, the Modernisation Committee has appointed a new Chair following Lucy Powell MP's departure from the cabinet. Sir Alan Campbell MP took over in the role last month, and said: "The Committee's accessibility inquiry has come at a vital time, and over the coming months we'll be working to ensure Parliament is accessible to all. It's particularly important that disabled MPs don't have to wait for the assistance or adjustments they need to perform their vital role of representing the public."

You can read the coalition's supplementary evidence in full on the UK Parliament website (scroll down to the 'Written Evidence' section).