Britain’s three political party leaders Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg have received the appeal from the UK Autism Foundation for the party manifestos scheduled to be released on Monday 12th April to include individual Autism Plans, detailing how each party proposes to help parents, carers,children and adults with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.

Ivan Corea of UKAF said: ‘There are several missing pieces in the autism jigsaw. We have called for Autism Plans in all the party manifestos. We have called for a strategy to cover all ages – with the missing autism strategy for children and an autism strategy for the elderly. We have called for action to help the poor with permanent increases in the disability living allowance, the carer’s allowance, child benefit and tax credits. We are asking for the political parties to consider setting up state funded autism schools and Autism Academies. We urge Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg to specifically mention autism on the campaign trail. This is the time for action on autism,’ he said.

The charity has called for disability issues to be covered in the forthcoming Leaders Television Debates on ITV, Sky and the BBC.

Autism is now a serious education and health issue and campaigners are asking Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg to take decisive action on autism and reach out to parents, carers and the Autism Community. There are over 500,000 people with autism in the UK. Campaigners have called for ring-fenced funding for autism.

The General Election will be held in Great Britain on the 6th of May.