麻豆约拍

Mark D'Arcy reports on efforts to overturn what's been called the last legal form of discrimination. An MP who suffers from mental illness can be thrown out of Parliament if they're sectioned for more than six months under the Mental Health Act. Earlier this year two MPs challenged the taboo about mental health when they spoke out about their problems. Conservative, Charles Walker described how he had lived with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder for more than 30 years. And a Labour former Defence Minister, Kevan Jones told how he had struggled with depression. Now a Conservative MP, Gavin Barwell, is trying to change the law to sweep away rules which effectively ban people with mental health problems from playing a part in public life. His Mental Health (Discrimination) Bill would repeal the law effecting MPs and members of devolved institutions who've been sectioned and remove other legislation which can be used to block people with mental health problems from serving on juries in England and Wales or working as company directors. Mr Barwell's proposals stand a good chance of becoming law as the Government has given its backing to the Bill.