Visually Impaired MP Praises Parliament Staff, But Says Westminster Still Has "Quite A Lot To Do"

There is “quite a lot to do” when it comes to making Parliament fully accessible, a new MP who is visually impaired has said, but the culture of those working on the estate has been “incredibly positive and engaging”.

Steve Darling, the new Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay, is visually impaired, and attends Westminster with his guide dog, Jennie. 

He told PoliticsHome that comprehending signage above head height is among the things that he has found difficult on the estate so far. 

When asked about accessibility in Parliament, he pointed first to ““signage for committee rooms,” saying: “The numbering of the committee rooms is at the top of the door, so I just have to remember where Committee Room 10 is and things like that.” 

He said the same is true for some of the toilets. 

“I can’t be the only visually impaired person on the estate. The parliamentary estate employs hundreds and hundreds of people, and some of those must be partially sighted or have a visual impairment of some sort.” 

Darling also pointed out that MPs or others on the estate could be inviting in guests or constituents who may also be partially sighted or have a visual impairment. 

"There’s quite a lot to do," he said.

However, the new Lib Dem MP said that the “the general culture of the doorkeepers and the staff has been incredibly positive and engaging, so you can’t ask for more than that.” 

Darling initially also faced a hurdle in securing the accessibility platforms he needed to be able to work with Parliament’s IT systems, but that has now been resolved. 

The former council leader thinks his “biggest challenge” in terms of day to day working on the estate would be using the escalator in Portcullis House, the building where MP offices are located. He