Baroness Jane Campbell has been in the House of Lords 11 years. Jane has spinal muscular dystrophy.
How did she get interested in disability politics? "I went to university gaining a first-class degree and masters and got a job at the charity RADAR. They sacked me because I could not type fast enough. I was invited to one of the first meetings of BCODP by Frances Hasler. I had steered away from disabled people because of my internalised oppression. When I heard Vic Finklestein and Mike Oliver explaining the ‘social model’ it suddenly transformed how I thought. I was interested in independent living. John Evans explained how he received Direct Payments. I wanted this in Kingston and a new Director of Social Services agreed so Ann MacFarland and I were the first 2 disabled people to get this. Then we campaigned to get a Bill through Parliament. It took 6 years and now any disabled person can have Direct Payments from their Council. I had a series of leadership jobs and eventually was made a Peer, but everything I do is guided by Nothing About Us Without Us’.
When Jane gets flu, the hospital does not want to resuscitate her. So she always makes sure someone is with her - she says "Our lives are still seen as not worth living".
Jane started ‘Not Dead Yet’ (https://notdeadyetuk.org) a UK-based network which is part of a global alliance of disabled people, who oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide.
