A user-led campaign has called on Scotland’s political parties to do more to increase the number of disabled people elected as MSPs at the next election in 2021. The cross-party campaign One in Five published a discussion paper this week which includes a series of idea for producing a more representative Scottish parliament. The paper’s launch was supported by Conservative Jeremy Balfour, who is so far the only MSP of the 129 elected in May to self-identify as a disabled person, although One in Five said that one other MSP has spoken of having a significant impairment. Balfour pledged this week to help other disabled people secure election to the Scottish parliament. The discussion paper, Scotland 2021: Our Plan To Turn One In Five Into A Reality, points out that if the Scottish parliament was representative of its population, there would be 23 disabled MSPs. Balfour yesterday (3 August) lodged a parliamentary motion that highlights the discussion paper and calls on all of his fellow
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