Maria Miller, MP for Basingstoke and also Minister for Disabled People, recently showed her support for Mencap’s Stand by me campaign, which was launched during Learning Disability Week (20-26 June 2011).  The campaign will challenge the police, the criminal justice system and the courts to take the lead in ending hate crime against people with a learning disability within a generation.

Maria attended a Parliamentary reception which also marked the launch of Mencap’s report called Don’t stand by.  The report looks at how police forces currently tackle disability hate crime.  While it highlights some examples of good practice, it shows that there is also some lack of police understanding of disability hate crime or a strategy in place to tackle it.  In response, the Charity is urging police forces to sign up to a police promise of 10 ways they can stand by people with a learning disability and help to end hate crime.

Maria said: “Mencap’s Stand by me campaign should assist police forces in changing the way they deal with hate crime.  I welcome and offer my support for the campaign, which aims to protect people with a learning disability in Basingstoke, as well as across the country.”

There are a number of ways that the public can get involved with the campaign to 'stand by' people with a learning disability.  For more information about Stand by me, and to view a hard-hitting video which highlights the tragic consequences of hate crime, visit www.mencap.org.uk/standbyme