The Paralympics celebrates our God-given equality. But there’s still a long way to go

Sep 4, 2024 by Jill

by Tim Farron MP, Premier Christianity:

The treatment of Tanni Grey-Thompson, who was forced to crawl off a train when assistance failed to arrive, is a stark contrast to the spirit of the Paralympics, observes Tim Farron MP. Attitudes must change if disabled people are to experience their God-given right to full equality in our society, he says.

After the excitement but ultimate disappointment of the Euros, I’ve enjoyed watching some of the Paris Olympics and now the Paralympics. Team GB is currently second in the medal table and it’s inspiring to see so many of our amazing athletes competing internationally.

However, we might compare the adulation and admiration for our Paralympians with another story in the news this week. Former Paralympian and crossbench peer Tanni Grey-Thompson tweeted about her dreadful experience travelling to Paris by train to commentate at the games. She found herself stranded on a train at Kings Cross, after the train crew and cleaning staff had left. Tanni was unable to summon assistance and in the end had to crawl off the train.

Of course she received apologies after the event from the train company. But from certain followers on the platform formally known as twitter, she also faced a barrage of criticism, suggesting that she shouldn’t be out on her own, shouldn’t have missed her initial train, shouldn’t have such a sense of entitlement…

This is not an isolated incident, and many disabled people find it incredibly difficult to travel by public transport. Issues that non-disabled people might not even notice, such as a lack of lifts or ramps or station staff, turn travel into an almost impossible challenge for many. And despite constant apologies and incremental improvements, the fact that this continues to be a problem seems to me to reflect the way we treat those in society who are different to the majority.

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