LIZ LYNNE DISCUSSES EMPOWERMENT OF DISABLED PEOPLE AT RALLY

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 5th Sep 2007

Liz Lynne MEP (l) with Coventry resident Eleanor Lisney, of the European Network for Independent Living.

Over 125 people with disabilities have converged on Strasbourg this week from all over Europe to engage in frank discussion about their empowerment and rights with Members of the European Parliament, as part of their third 'Freedom Ride'.

West Midlands Lib Dem MEP Liz Lynne met with members of the European Network for Independent Living (ENIL), including Eleanor Lisney from Coventry, to discuss her work on disability issues in the Parliament and to find out what more can be done to improve disabled people's rights.

Speaking today, Liz, who is Vice-President of the All Party Disability Intergroup and Vice President of the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee, said:

"Many of the over 60 million disabled people across Europe strive to live more independent lives but are not offered the support necessary to do so."

"Disabled people of all ages and backgrounds must be empowered to take control of their own lives, live with dignity and participate fully as equal citizens"

"I will continue to work with ENIL and ensure their views are represented in the European Parliament, indeed I am looking forward to Eleanor and her colleagues feeding into my report on EU social policy."

ENDS.

Notes to Editors

More information on ENIL can be found at: www.enil.eu.

More information on the UN Convention on the Right of Persons with Disabilities at: http://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/