Crippen Cartoons cartoons at the cutting edge of disability

A disabled woman is preparing to mount a High Court challenge after complaining about a lack of British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters at Government Covid briefings.

Katie Rowley, who is Deaf argues that the Government breached obligations to make broadcasts accessible to Deaf people under equality legislation, despite Scotland and Wales both having on-platform interpreters for their broadcasts.

Her Solicitor Chris Fry, who is also representing about 350 other Deaf people who have made similar claims, told the Leicester Mercury newspaper that all of those other cases are on hold pending the outcome of Ms Rowley’s case.

He added: “The Cabinet Office is expected to argue that it complied with its duties by making an arrangement with the BBC to provide an interpreter, arranging a live feed, providing subtitles and providing written information online after the briefings.”

Is this just another example of the Government passing the buck to some outside agency in order to sidestep its obligations or, is this a continuation of my earlier suspicions about them not wanting the proletariat stepping on their shiny new media stage?!

Description of cartoon for those using screen reading software

Boris Johnson is standing in front of a High Court judge. The judge is looking angry and is holding a piece of paper which has printed upon it ‘Government continually fail to provide access for Deaf people at Covid briefings’. Boris is saying to him: “As you’ll agree your honour – it’s not as if they understand what’s going on anyway!” Behind Boris is an aid who is whispering to him: “Pssst – he’s Deaf you idiot!”