Deaf News: UK Government provides BSL interpretation on social media for coronavirus briefings

A British Sign Language interpreter has now been provided on the UK Government’s social media channels for its coronavirus briefings, in the latest development in an ongoing campaign from deaf activists and organisations.

The interpreter, provided by the BBC, first appeared in the conference on Thursday, delivered by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Announcing the update on Twitter, Paymaster General and cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt thanked those who helped secure the provision and said: “[The] BBC has agreed to make available the interpreter feed to all broadcasters. Feed will also soon be on all govt social media live videos from each press conference.

“BSL could therefore be on all coverage live and recorded,” she said.

While the Government’s social media channels displayed the BBC’s interpreter, the BBC News channel was the only TV broadcaster to display the provision for Thursday’s briefing.

The news also comes just days after the UK Government responded to a Parliamentary petition to say it “cannot safely include a BSL interpreter in the room for daily briefings without potentially putting them and others at risk”.

In their reply, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said: “In line with Public Health England (PHE) guidelines, it is not possible to safely include a physical British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter in the room for daily briefings as this would require additional operations staff such as an additional cameraman to be present.

“At Downing Street the Government is working within the constraints of a historical site with limited space.”

The DCMS also go on to add: “Having an interpreter physically attend, along with any additional staff required to facilitate broadcast of the interpretation, contradicts the PHE guidelines, and potentially puts them and others at risk.

“For these reasons the Government believes that it is right to limit the number of people present in the daily briefings to protect all those who must be present from additional risks.”

Commenting on the statement, Lynn Stewart-Taylor, who started the #WhereIsTheInterpreter campaign, tweeted: “I appreciate the response. What the excuse for the first 9 briefings? [sic]

“Switch to BBC1/move location? Problem solved,” she said.

Photo: GOV.UK

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is a mildly deaf freelance journalist and blogger from Bedfordshire. He wears bilateral hearing aids and can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.