Hi Caleb Just a comment about the ‘easy read’ version of the Conservative

Comment on Election 2010 – Conservative Manifesto Review by Dave.

Hi Caleb

Just a comment about the ‘easy read’ version of the Conservative Party manifesto as I think you jumped the gun a bit. Mencap has also produced an ‘easy read’ version for the Labour Party and Liberal Democrats.

You can read about this further by following this link

or by googling ‘Mencap Jeremy Paxman'(Paxo is supporting the campaign by Mencap)

The ‘Easy Read’ manifestos were produced to give people with a learning disability an informed choice about who and what they were voting for. It isn’t a ‘sick’ attempt at tricking anyone in to voting for any Political Party. (Although some would say any manifesto is an attempt at tricking people into voting for a party).

I do NOT work for Mencap and was not involved in the ‘Easy Read’ Manifestos. But do work for an NHS Trust. I make ‘easy read’ information and can understand your interpretation of the Manifesto as using babyish language. You wouldn’t be the first to level that accusation at ‘easy read’ information. When I make easy read stuff I use ‘simplified’ language that is supported by pictures / photographs. Its aim is to help those who have literacy problems, not to patronise them. It is not always easy and sometimes things can get over simplified. Though I think Mencap have done a good job in this case. There is a lot of complicated ideas to get across in an ‘easy read’ format.

People with a learning disability are excluded form many parts of everyday life you and I may take for granted. And times that by a 100 when it comes to decisions being made that affect their lives. This is an honest attempt to include those people in the election process.
People with a learning disability are also taking the brunt of the cut backs that are happening and are going to happen because of the economic crisis. Basically, the least privileged section of society are paying for the mistakes and indulgences of the most over privileged.

Looking at your contributions to this website, I think you are someone who cares about social injustice and gets angry about how unfair our society can be. That’s good and I don’t think you are an idiot as that other guy said but, now for my patronising bit (sorry), ask questions first THEN shoot. Or as (I think) Byron said ‘Words are weapons and you should choose your weapons carefully’.

Like the cartoons by the way. Good luck and Steve Bell look out.