Election fever is gripping the UK and representatives of the parties will be trying to get the vote of the undecided like me.

However, will they have the right attitude to get the attention of the disabled voter - or will we just get the sympathy vote from them?

Up close in person - patronising attitudes and accessibility of MPs.

One of the things I have had experience of is lobbying an MP - and that was not pleasant. It was some years ago in St Albans. Myself and some people from a Direct Payment Support Scheme went to a surgery appointment to discuss the Independent Living Funds' 'toilet tax'. As a wheelchair user, when we arrived the surgery wasn't exactly accessible. It involved going up a step, round the side of the building on a crumbling narrow path, through a back kitchen and into a cramped office for all of a ten minute chat.

Access to MPs and similar should be equally available to all but I wonder how many actually are?

Shocking attitudes of MPs and Councillors

About 4 or 5 years ago, I had the displeasure of meeting Ann Widdecombe as my local MP. I was working at the event where she was doing a speech to launch a disability product. There were a number of disabled people with a range of impairments. I had no idea what she would be like - but as she did her meet and greet I soon found out. She bent down, stared closely at me, then studied my chair, then turned again to look at me. In a fiery, shrill breath she bellowed 'so whats wrong with YOU then'. I was stunned.

Do politicians not get any equality training on how to respectfully go about their duties? It's something I will remember for the rest of my life because the conversation didn't get much better despite my efforts to say I was actually working at the event and politely trying to move the conversation away from which parts of me don't work. My work colleagues were horrified and word soon spread! I watched how she did the same with everyone else with an obvious impairment, patronising and shameful.

I have met many councillors and have been utterly horrified at the patronising behaviours and language demonstrated on all but one occasion. Invalids and a pat on the head in some cases.

So - if you treat me in this way, with disrespect and inequality, you should not be surprised when this reflects badly on your party.

You will understand when I say that you probably don't care much for what the disabled members of your community need and the rights that should be theirs when you don't make any effort yourself to get it right.

Do you want my vote or not?

Tags:DDA | attitudes | MP | disability equality | language | respect | election | politics | voter