The CDG's fringe event at the Conservative Party's Spring Forum will focus on the Government's Disability Strategy and the Conservative Party's plans to ensure more disabled people are selected for Parliamentary seats in the UK's national Parliaments. The event will also discuss the promotion of the 'Disability Toolkit' for local Conservative Associations.
About Peter Hand - Peter was elected the Chairman of the CDG in March 2018 and works in partnership with the Executive and others to help make the Conservative Party even more inclusive for disabled people. He has worked in the charitable and civil society sector for nearly 10 years in a range of public affairs and communications roles, working for some of the UK's best known charities in the fields of disability, health and social care, including the Royal Mencap Society, Leonard Cheshire and the Epilepsy Society. Peter is also a member of Mind, the UK's leading mental health charity.
He was also Deputy Director for a community interest company - Make Justice Work - in the field of criminal justice and the rehabilitation of offenders, advocating for robust and demanding community sentences as an effective alternative to expensive and largely unproductive short-term prison sentences to end the cycle of reoffending for lower-level offences. He continues to have strong links with the civil society sector advising on public affairs strategy and public policy.
Peter spent seven years as a Conservative Councillor for Brickhill, a suburban ward in the north of Bedford, as a member of Bedford Borough Council, elected aged 23 on his third attempt. During that time he was the Cabinet Member for Sustainability, working in a cross-party cabinet and was appointed to the role by the independent directly elected Mayor, the late Frank Branston.
About Justin Tomlinson MP - Justin is the Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work and was appointed to the role in the Department for Work and Pensions on 4 April 2019. He was previously Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions from July 2018 to April 2019. He served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Disabled People from May 2015 until July 2016. He was previously the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ed Vaizey MP.
Justin graduated with a business degree from Oxford Brookes University. Justin was previously the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ed Vaizey MP. Before being elected to Parliament, Justin served as a Councillor in North Swindon for 10 years. He served 4 years in the council’s cabinet as the lead member for culture, leisure and recreation. Justin owned a local marketing business in Swindon for 10 years which he sold when he was elected an MP.
As the Minister of State (Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work) his Ministerial responsibilities include:
- Responsibility for the departmental strategy on disability and disability employment
- Cross-government responsibility for disabled people
- Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance and elements of Universal Credit that relate to disabled people, including severe disability premium
- Work and health strategy including sponsorship of the joint Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Health and Social Care Work and Health Unit
- Disability benefit reform
- Devolution framework
- Carer’s Allowance
- Motability and arms-length compensation scheme
Follow Justin on Twitter: @JustinTomlinson
About Dr Caroline Johnson MP - Caroliine is a Deputy Chair of the Conservative Party with responsibility for Disability. She was elected as the MP for Sleaford and North Hykeham following the by-election on 8th December 2016, and was re-elected in the general election on 8th June 2017 and 2019. She is a Consultant Paediatrician who first qualified as a doctor in 2001.
Caroline is a Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party and leads on disability issues – and works closely with the CDG. She was re-elected in the December general election with an increased majority of 32,565 (48.9%) votes, the largest majority won by any Conservative candidate at the election. She is a member of Commons Education Select Committee and a PPS to the Treasury Ministerial Team.
Follow Caroline on Twitter: @drcarolinej
About Jonathan Andrews - Jonathan is passionate about showing employers the benefits of hiring disabled people, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because of the drive and determination often built up from living with a disability which are an asset to any workplace.
He has won international recognition for his campaigning, including European Campaigner of the Year 2016 and a Commonwealth Queen's Young Leader award in 2017.
Jonathan joined the Executive of the CDG in April 2018 and spoke at the CDG's 2018 fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference, titled, 'How do we make society more inclusive of people with invisible disabilities?' In 2019 and 2020 Jonathan was named one of the most influential disabled people in the UK for a second year in a row, securing a place on the highly prestigious Shaw Trust Power List 2019.
Follow Jonathan on Twitter @JonnyJAndrews
About Celia Hensman - Celia is a member of the Executive of the Conservative Disability Group, a Manager in the Conservative Party and is also a Young Conservatives Chairman. Celia has been campaigning and working to improve disability rights since she was 16 years old, including being part of Parliamentary Select Committees and various charities. Celia herself as Loeys Dietz Syndrome and has experienced first hand the challenges of working in politics with a disability, this has not prevented her and many others from achieving their goals. Celia is also leading the CDG's work on #AbilityToWin the Conservative Party's partnership project with the CDG to see more disabled people selected and elected to the UK's National Parliaments.
Follow Celia on Twitter: @celia_hensman