Labour MPs openly mocking the disabled MP Paul Maynard

I know this story is way old but I’ve only just come across it and my blood as they say is boiling…

This lunchtime I was watching Prime Ministers Questions. Nothing new or exciting in that. The Prime Minister was getting a battering from Ed Miliband which shows just how poor the PM’s performance was. However this isn’t was drew my ire. When Paul Maynard, MP for Blackpool North and Cleveleys stood up and asked a question I looked and listened to him and I straight away thought to myself that he suffered from cerebral palsy and I smiled that someone suffering from this has made it into the Chamber.

So I googled him to check and indeed he does. As someone who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a kid it is always good to see that disability is no barrier. My disability was limited to physical issues whereas this MP also has to deal with a speech defect. As far as my knowledge of my situation goes I had the exact same issue – the umbilical cord wrapped around my neck during birth thus starving my brain of oxygen causing the damage.

So I’m sitting here quite happy and content but then I read more. During his first speech in the House it seems as though a number of Labour MPs were openly mocking him because of his defect. Are you fucking kidding me? All the MPs accused said that they did nothing of the sort but senior Labour MPs who witnessed the attack were not amused.

Mr Maynard said: ‘They were constantly intervening, trying to put me off my stride, which may be normal parliamentary tactics.

‘But some were pulling faces at me, really exaggerated gesticulations and faces.

‘Only they know for certain whether they were taking the mick out of my disability. But it certainly felt like it. That is why politics is held in such low esteem.’

I don’t expect much from MPs but one thing I do expect is that they act is a decent manner. It doesn’t cost anything to have manners and common courtesy but mocking a guys disability, is this really what we expect from our elected officials?

A senior Labour MP told The Mail on Sunday (in the piece): ‘What they did was disgusting. It was obvious that Paul was upset but they sensed a weakness and went for the kill like a pack of hyenas.’

Outraged Labour MP Lindsay Hoyle, the Deputy Speaker, tried to protect Mr Maynard from the jibes and told Mr Hamilton to order Labour MPs to stop tormenting him.

I know this story is well over a year old and nothing more has happened but why did it have to happen in the first place? I despite anyone who mocks people for their disabilities. I dislike Harry Redknapp as much as the next Pompey fan but I cringe every time I hear people calling him ‘twitchy’ following the car accident he was involved that caused the death of a man. Attack people for what they say and what they do but never mock someone for the way they say whatever they say if there is a reason behind it.

I hope the MPs involved spoke to Paul Maynard and apologised for their disgusting behaviour. After the Eric Joyce rejoicing in the fact he is a thug you have to wonder about how some Labour MPs get elected (I know Eric has been kicked out of Labour now). I think even in proper red rose country openly mocking disabled people would lead to the electorate questioning whether they wanted to vote for such a person.

I am fuming.

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