Open letter to the Editor of the Evening Standard:

Dear Editor

We are writing to you to raise our concerns over the London Mayoral Hustings which you are hosting on 3 February 2016.

The National Union of British Sign Language Interpreters (NUBSLI) are appalled to discover that a Deaf Londoner is being excluded from the London Mayoral hustings, due to what have been described as ‘disproportionate costs’.

Access costs should be considered a core cost (no different to booking the venue) when planning any public event, and not viewed as an add-on or after thought.

For a London based newspaper to behave in such a way is very concerning and calls into question your commitment to Deaf and disabled Londoners.

The Equality Act makes the duty of a provision of a reasonable adjustment very clear and it would appear that this is not being met.

NUBSLI will be contacting each candidate to raise our concerns and ask them to consider their participation in an event which is not accessible.

We hope you will reconsider your position and provide the basic and reasonable access request being made.

Best regards
NUBSLI

update: We are pleased to say that since this letter was published the Evening Standard have now reconsidered and have agreed to provide interpreted access to the hustings.