ADHD UK Exclusive Research
Issued as a Press Release on the 28th June 2024
Neurodiverse political candidates are not disclosing their disabilities for fear it will lead to discrimination – and even be used against them.
The proportionally small number of Neurodiverse candidates means we’re not properly represented. That means decisions about us are made without us and means our issues don’t get the attention they should.
Responses from an exclusive survey by charity ADHD UK, sent to more than 3000 candidates of all parties in the upcoming General Election, and analysis of candidate statements and twitter information revealed:
Despite 10 percent of the population having a neurodiversity, only 3 percent of the candidate pool admit to being neurodiverse.
The fear of stigma and discrimination has forced candidates to remain silent and hide their disability. Candidates told us:
I fear that my admission of neurodiversity may well be exploited by those who oppose me. Such exploitation would be wrong morally and legally but that does not mean it will not happen.
Neurodiversity is an easy get out option if someone wants an excuse to be difficult with you
My opponents or others who do not agree with my politics will likely use my neurodiversity against me.
One in ten people in the UK is neurodivergent – the term used to describe a range of neurological differences that include, ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia.
Neurodiverse candidates’ representation should be 10% but is just 0.5% in the Conservatives, 2.7% in Labour, and 4.3% in the Liberal Democrats. 6 and 9 times respectively the quantity in the Conservatives.
Our research found just 145 candidates directly spoke of being Neurodiverse, representing just 3.2% of the candidate pool. This is 3 times less than the proportion within the population (c.10%).
Neurodiverse candidates appear to be disproportionately excluded from the two major parties. The Conservatives with just 3 candidates disclosing their neurodiversity (0.5% of their candidates) and Labour with 17 (2.7% of their candidates).
And further excluded from winnable seats. We could identify just 16 neurodiverse candidates in winnable seats. Representing just 2.5% of elected MPs.
Following an analysis of all parties’ manifestos, the Liberal Democrats are the only party to directly reference Neurodiversity and, importantly, they are the only major party with the highest number of neurodiverse candidates.
In candidate statements we found just 47 (1.7%) mentioning Neurodiversity or the individual neurodiverse conditions. Furthermore, the number of mentions in these statements rank below Litter and Littering (65 times), Potholes (99 mentions) and is just ahead of Parking & Car Parks (45 times). This despite candidates aiming to represent and advocate for the issues facing the 7 million people who are Neurodiverse.
Candidates' Information we analysed
Surveys sent directly to candidates
Candidate Statements Analysed
Candidate Twitter Account Biographies Reviewed
Total Words Analysed
Quotes from Henry Shelford, CEO and Co-Founder of ADHD UK
“Neurodiversity is under-represented in our politics. It’s chilling to see so many forced into hiding their Neurodiversity because of fear of stigma and discrimination. This silences us, prevents our issues being raised and getting solutions. Decisions are made about us but without us.
“That lack of debate means we’re often at the biting end of ‘unforeseen consequences’ of policy decisions.
“Parties are the gatekeepers who decide the candidates put forward for election. These figures clearly outline a failure by parties to be properly inclusive and create an environment that welcomes and encourages diversity. Neurodiverse people bring unique perspectives and novel solutions – everyone benefits from our inclusion. If neurodiverse candidates feel they can’t even disclose their disabilities to their parties, how are we ever going to tackle discrimination and get to the heart of the issues affecting seven million people?”
On Labour’s NHS pledges
“We’re forgotten in Keir Starmer’s promise of 18-weeks wait in the NHS, because it doesn’t apply to ADHD Assessments – despite wait times of up to 10.5 years for adults and up to 5 years for children. We’re forgotten in Labour’s promise of mental health support in schools, because ADHD isn’t a mental health condition and requires specialist assessment and intervention. Keir is at risk of making waiting lists worse; where the mental health support in schools increases referrals but without improved NHS capacity, ADHD wait times will go up”.
On the Conservative Party’s National Service policy
“Rishi Sunak’s National Service plan fails to consider the impact on children and parents with Neurodiversity. Where day-to-day struggles mean volunteering isn’t an option and the military doesn’t want us. We’re then going to have neurodiverse children’s lives blighted by the punishments Rishi intends to mete out”
Additional Information
There are an estimated 7 million Neurodiverse individuals in the UK. Roughly 1 in 10 of the population.
“Neurodiversity describes people with certain medical diagnoses, notably Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Dyspraxia. Our brain differences mean we experience and interact with the world around us differently. That can lead to discrimination by those unforgiving of difference but provides valuable perspectives and creative solutions that can change the world”.
You can also find a quote from Harvard University describing Neurodiversity here.
Famous people with Neurodiversities include:
Heston Blumenthal – ADHD[1]. Elon Musk – Autism[2]. Baron Tom Watson – ADHD[3]. Olivia Blake – ADHD[4].
Olivia Blake (Labour, Sheffield Hallam) is the only potentially returning MP (95% probability from electoral calculus) that we are aware of who has publicly stated they have ADHD. Olivia Blake can be contacted via her website. Information on her speaking about ADHD is on the ADHD UK Website.
Tom Hunt (Conservative, Ipswich) is restanding as an MP and has publically talked about having dyspraxia and dyslexia. He is re-standing in Ipswich but is not predicted (0% probability from electoral calculus) to be returned to Parliament.
Matt Hancock (Conservative) is not restanding as MP. He has publicly spoken about having dyslexia.
Substantial amounts of the data was sourced from the https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/ website. If you are looking for candidate information from there we suggest you google site search for keywords. For example: site:https://whocanivotefor.co.uk autism OR autistic OR adhd neurodiversity OR dyslexia OR dyspraxia
[1] Heston Blumenthal – Chef diagnosed with ADHD at 50 (adhduk.co.uk)
[2] Elon Musk reveals he has Asperger’s on Saturday Night Live – BBC News
[3] Tom Watson – Politician, Quoted as saying has ADHD (adhduk.co.uk)