Commentary on “Participation of learning disabled people in the parliamentary election of 2019 in the United Kingdom”

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Potocnik

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on the article ‘‘Participation of Learning Disabled People in the Parliamentary Election of 2019 in the United Kingdom’’. Design/methodology/approach Personal experience of advocating in Australia for the rights of people with learning disabilities to vote and to receive the necessary support to do so. Findings People with learning disabilities have persistently been excluded from political participation. This is an abuse of their human rights. Originality/value There are many barriers to the political participation of people with learning disabilities, and advocacy on a number of fronts will be necessary to achieve change.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine James ◽  
Chris Hatton ◽  
Rob Mitchell

Purpose Participation of people with learning disabilities in the United Kingdom (UK) Parliamentary Elections has previously been found to be lower than that of non-learning disabled peers. This paper aims to consider whether an intervention to support the right to take part in democratic and political life may result in increased participation rates. Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered by social workers from 135 learning disabled people about their voter registration and voting in the May 2019 UK local government election. Social workers subsequently ran a promote the vote campaign with this cohort and gathered the same data in respect of the December 2019 UK Parliamentary Election. Findings Following the campaign, there were statistically significant increases in both the proportion of people who registered to vote and in the proportion who voted. Originality/value People with learning disabilities are more likely to vote if made aware of their rights and supported to do so.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
WEN-HAO CHEN ◽  
LEE BENTLEY ◽  
MARGARET WHITEHEAD ◽  
ASHLEY MCALLISTER ◽  
BENJAMIN BARR

Abstract The debate about extending working lives in response to population ageing often overlooks the lack of employment opportunity for older adults with disabilities. Without work, their living standards depend heavily on government transfers. This study contributes to the literature on health inequalities by analysing the sources of income and poverty outcomes for people aged 50 to 64 in two liberal democratic countries yet with contrasting disability benefit contexts – Canada and the United Kingdom. This choice of countries offers the opportunity to assess whether the design of benefit systems has led the most disadvantaged groups to fare differently between countries. Overall, disabled older persons without work faced a markedly higher risk of poverty in Canada than in the UK. Public transfers played a much greater role in the UK, accounting for two-thirds of household income among low-educated groups, compared with one-third in Canada. The average benefit amount received was similar in both countries, but the coverage of disabled people was much lower in Canada than in the UK, leading to a high poverty risk among disabled people out of work. Our findings highlight the importance of income support systems in preventing the widening of the poverty-disability gap at older ages.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnese Rondoni ◽  
Elena Millan ◽  
Daniele Asioli

PurposePlant-based eggs have recently been developed to provide consumers with a healthier, animal-friendlier and more sustainable alternative to conventional eggs. The purpose of this paper is to investigate intrinsic and extrinsic attribute preferences for three prototypes of plant-based egg, namely the liquid, powder and egg-shaped.Design/methodology/approachNine focus groups in the United Kingdom and nine in Italy were conducted, with a total of 180 participants. A thematic analysis of results was conducted.FindingsIn terms of intrinsic product attributes, consumers' preferences for colour, shape, taste, ingredients, nutrients, method of production and shelf-life for plant-based eggs were revealed. Regarding the extrinsic attributes, preferences for price, packaging, country of origin and product naming emerged. Similarities and differences between consumers from the two countries are also discussed. Differences in preferences also emerged between vegan and non-vegan consumers.Research limitations/implicationsThis study adds to the existing knowledge on consumers' preferences for new plant-based food alternatives and identifies future quantitative approaches based on qualitative findings.Practical implicationsResults from this study can assist plant-based egg manufacturers in improving their products in line with consumers' expectations, which may help reducing risk of product failure.Originality/valueThis study is the first to investigate consumers' preferences, expectations and needs for new food products like plant-based eggs and provides information that can be practically applied by manufacturers, as well as suggestions for future research.


2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (14) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia J. Leon ◽  
Ronan Doyle ◽  
Ernest Diez-Benavente ◽  
Taane G. Clark ◽  
Nigel Klein ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT In this study, differences in the placental microbiota from term and preterm deliveries in a large pregnancy cohort in the United Kingdom were studied by using 16S-targeted amplicon sequencing. The impacts of contamination from DNA extraction, PCR reagents, and the delivery itself were also examined. A total of 400 placental samples from 256 singleton pregnancies were analyzed, and differences between spontaneous preterm-, nonspontaneous preterm-, and term-delivered placentas were investigated. DNA from recently delivered placentas was extracted, and screening for bacterial DNA was carried out by using targeted sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene on the Illumina MiSeq platform. Sequenced reads were analyzed for the presence of contaminating operational taxonomic units (OTUs) identified via sequencing of negative extraction and PCR-blank samples. Differential abundances and between-sample (beta) diversity metrics were then compared. A large proportion of the reads sequenced from the extracted placental samples mapped to OTUs that were also found for negative extractions. Striking differences in the compositions of samples were also observed, according to whether the placenta was delivered abdominally or vaginally, providing strong circumstantial evidence for delivery contamination as an important contributor to observed microbial profiles. When OTU- and genus-level abundances were compared between the groups of interest, a number of organisms were enriched in the spontaneous preterm-delivery cohort, including organisms that have been associated previously with adverse pregnancy outcomes, specifically Mycoplasma spp. and Ureaplasma spp. However, analyses of the overall community structure did not reveal convincing evidence for the existence of a reproducible “preterm placental microbiome.” IMPORTANCE Preterm birth is associated with both psychological and physical disabilities and is the leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Infection is known to be an important cause of spontaneous preterm birth, and recent research has implicated variation in the “placental microbiome” in the risk of preterm birth. Consistent with data from previous studies, the abundances of certain clinically relevant species differed between spontaneous preterm- and nonspontaneous preterm- or term-delivered placentas. These results support the view that a proportion of spontaneous preterm births have an intrauterine-infection component. However, an additional observation from this study was that a substantial proportion of sequenced reads were contaminating reads rather than DNA from endogenous, clinically relevant species. This observation warrants caution in the interpretation of sequencing outputs from low-biomass samples such as the placenta.


Significance The United Kingdom eyes a strategic tilt to the Indo-Pacific, with South-east Asia a key focus because of its economic dynamism and the convening power of ASEAN. The aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth will deploy to the Indo-Pacific for six months later this year. Impacts The United Kingdom’s view of China as a systemic challenger makes a trade pact between the two countries unlikely. UK efforts to conclude a trade deal with India will be frustrated by Delhi’s protectionist approach. London will pursue closer defence cooperation with Tokyo.


Significance All three countries are united by the objective to mitigate US-China rivalry by promoting multilateralism and engagement among middle powers, while at the same time using these to contain China’s behaviour and ambitions in the region. Impacts Engaging with like-minded middle powers in the Indo-Pacific will help Europe distance itself from Washington’s tougher policy on China. The Indo-Pacific vision will result in deepening defence partnerships with India, plus Australia and Japan, such as through arms sales. The Indo-Pacific will be an area of potential future collaboration and cooperation between the United Kingdom and EU countries.


Significance However, there has been a notable change in the EU’s tone. In July, the European Commission unexpectedly paused legal action against the United Kingdom for an alleged breach of the NIP, and when London announced on September 6 that it was suspending key elements indefinitely, the EU’s response was muted. Impacts France is so deeply aggrieved over AUKUS that any further UK breaches of the Withdrawal Agreement could prompt a bad-tempered response. The possibility of an early assembly election in Northern Ireland would complicate EU-UK attempts to resolve the NIP issue. The exclusion of high profile, pro-EU politicians in the UK cabinet reshuffle shows how important the Brexit agenda remains for London.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-245
Author(s):  
Yasmine Dominguez-Whitehead ◽  
Felix Maringe

PurposeThis paper provides a cross-national analysis of PhD supervision models, milestones and examination procedures in order to compare PhD programs and their practices.Design/methodology/approachA comparative approach is employed, which systematically interrogates PhD supervision models, milestones and examination procedures in the United Kingdom, South Africa and the United States via a comprehensive review of the practices and literature.FindingsThe findings indicate the ramifications of the different approaches and highlight the benefits and drawbacks associated with the different models.Originality/valueBy making explicit the dominant supervision models, milestones and examination procedures that exist in the United Kingdom, South Africa and the United States, the authors shed light on the somewhat obscure path to earning a PhD degree.


2011 ◽  
Vol 77 (16) ◽  
pp. 5722-5729 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen T. Elvers ◽  
Victoria K. Morris ◽  
Diane G. Newell ◽  
Vivien M. Allen

ABSTRACTMany of the poultry flocks produced in the United Kingdom are colonized withCampylobacter, and the intensive nature of poultry processing usually results in contaminated carcasses. In this study, a previously reported molecular oligonucleotide probe method was used to track a specific flock-colonizing strain(s) on broiler carcasses during processing in two United Kingdom commercial poultry processing plants. FiveCampylobacter-positive flocks were sampled at four points along the processing line, postbleed, postpluck, prechill, and postchill, and twoCampylobacter-negative flocks processed immediately after positive flocks were sampled prechill.flaAwas sequenced fromCampylobacterstrains isolated from these flocks, and strain-specific probes were synthesized. Skin and cecal samples were plated onto selective agar to give individual colonies, which were transferred onto membranes. These were then hybridized with the strain- and genus-specific probes. For all the 5 positive flocks, there was a significant reduction in campylobacters postbleed compared to postpluck but no subsequent fall on sampling pre- and postchill, and the strain(s) predominating on the carcasses throughout processing came from the flock being processed. This indicates that strains from the abattoir environment were not a significant cause of carcass contamination in flocks with well-established campylobacter colonization. However, negative flocks that were preceded by positive flocks were contaminated by strains that did not generally originate from the predominating strains recovered from the ceca of the previous positive flocks. This suggests that the abattoir environment has a significant role in the contamination of carcasses from negative but not fully colonized flocks.


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