The UK Autism Foundation has urged the leaders of the Labour Party, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats to reveal their Autism Plans in the run up to the General Election of 2010.
UKAF has called for more support for poor families and people with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome in the United Kingdom, particularly during the recession.
Autism campaigners have also asked ITV News, Sky News and BBC News to include issues concerning the disability community, in the forthcoming Leadership Debates on television. Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg will face each other ‘live’ for the first time on TV as they debate the issues.
Ivan Corea of the UK Autism Foundation said: ‘ I have written to Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg as well as Alistair Stewart of ITV News, Adam Boulton of Sky News and David Dimbleby of BBC News urging them to highlight the concerns of the disability community including the concerns of parents, carers, children and adults with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome, in the televised leadership debates during the General Election. They must not forget the vulnerable,’ he said.
There are 8.6 million registered disabled people in the UK, totalling 14% of the population. (DRC) There are over 500,000 people with autism in the United Kingdom – if you add the numbers of parents and carers, you are looking at over a million people touched by autism. They are all voters too.
For further information on the UK Autism Foundation:
www.ukautismfoundation.org
UK Autism Foundation
