Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Glasgow Region & Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education at Scottish Labour
Politics and Law
I was elected as a Scottish Labour MSP representing the Glasgow Region in 2021. I served as Scottish Labour’s Spokesperson for Social Justice and Social Security until April 2023 when I was appointed Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education. I am the first permanent wheelchair user to have been elected to the Scottish Parliament. I attended Stirling University where I earned a BSc Hons in Psychology and a Masters in Health Psychology. I later went on to get a Post Graduate Diploma in Citizenship and Human Rights from Glasgow Caledonian University. I was the first disabled person to be elected to the National Union of Students in Scotland. I worked in the EHRC developing policy on equality and human rights, the third sector as a Caseworker and Policy Officer, including for Inclusion Scotland, and then at Public Health Scotland as a Communications Manager.
I was co-chair of the One in Five Campaign which set out to improve disabled people’s access to politics and campaigned successfully for the Access to Disabled Office Fund in Scotland. I, along with the Independent Living Movement in Scotland, set up and led the Scotland Against the Care Tax Campaign which achieved cross party support to end care charges in Scotland. With colleagues from GCIL, I secured an internship for disabled people in every NHS Board in Scotland. Since being elected I go cross party support to introduce the Young Disabled Persons Transition to Adulthood Bill to give young disabled people a fighting chance at a good future. I am married, with a dog Tony the Cockapoo.
Too often disabled people are portrayed as benefiting from society, rather than contributing to it. The Shaw Trust’s Disability Power 100 turns that on it’s head. It recognizes that disabled people, from all backgrounds, are a huge asset to our country and contribute to it every single day. The power of recognising this must never be underestimated. Disabled and non-disabled people alike need to see more of this, so that they can see themselves and their peers reflected in how we celebrate success.
Disabled people are innovative by design, we have to be, just to get by. Society and our peers should never miss out on that. The more we celebrate disabled people and all their wonderful diversity, the better.”
Disability Power 100 2023 profile information has been self-submitted by the profile subject. Shaw Trust understands and respects that disability and impairment descriptors and language use varies from person to person. Shaw Trust assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or discrepancies in the content of this, or any other, profile page.
More from the Disability Power 100
Dr Shani Dhanda
Dr Shani DhandaDisability Inclusion Specialist, Social Entrepreneur and BroadcasterChair JudgeShani is a multi-award-winning disability inclusion specialist, thought leader, social entrepreneur, and accomplished broadcaster. She's driven change by establishing...
Lee Ellery
Lee ElleryWebsite Accessibility AssessorLee Ellery is from Swansea and has Cerebral Palsy which affects all four limbs and is also visually impaired. None of this stops him doing what he enjoys or working as a user-tester for Shaw Trust Accessibility Services. Using...
Simon Stones
Simone StonesSenior Medical Writer and Patient AdvocateSimon Stones is an Award-Winning Senior Medical Writer and International Patient Advocate. In 2023, he was awarded the inaugural Rising Star Award by the International Society for Medical Publication...