Strictly Come Dancing winner, Rose Ayling-Ellis, said she is backing a Lancashire MP who is bringing a British Sign Language Bill to parliament later this month.

West Lancashire MP, Rosie Cooper, said she is looking forward to the parliamentary debate of her British Sign Language Bill which will take place on 28 January.

The bill is a simple instrument that will declare British Sign Language (BSL) as an official language of the UK and provide for improved guidance to be issued by the Secretary of State to public services and government departments.

Although BSL was recognised as a language in its own right by the Government in 2003, it has no legal protection

Rose, who made history as the first deaf contestant on Strictly, has been open about her support of the MP’s bill both on social media and in media appearances.

Speaking to The Big Issue, Rose said: “I’m backing [the bill] because this is my language. The fact that my country doesn’t see it that way is really sad and means we don’t get the respect we deserve and the language deserves.

Lancashire Telegraph: (The Big Issue/PA)(The Big Issue/PA)

“BSL is not an official language, legally, in this country. Which is outrageous. Because it is such a beautiful, rich language with its own structure, its own grammar, its own slang. It’s even got accents.

“So I am backing Rosie Cooper all the way. Finally an MP actually doing something about it. Because the government never really listens to us. Hopefully they will listen now.” 

Appearing on This Morning earlier this month alongside professional dancer, Giovanni Pernice, the EastEnders actress said: "It’s been recognised as a language, but it’s not been official. That becomes such a big problem.

“I have heard so many stories and it's still happening now about how some deaf people go to doctor appointment…  they ask for a interpreter and then they don't provide them an interpreter so they end up losing their child or family member.

“That shouldn't be done but because it's not an official language, we can't do anything about it.

"So if we can change that and make it an official language we can get so much protection."

 

 

Presenter, Philip Schofield, then asked the 27-year-old if she is talking to MPs about the matter.

Rose said: “Yeah, she's called Rosie Cooper and she's an MP and her parent is deaf so she is going to start a debate.”

Mentioning Rosie and her planned campaign on Twitter, Rose said: “This is such a huge, important event for the deaf community to get the government to declare BSL as an official language.

“It sound so simple but it would do so much goods and change things for better.”

MP Rosie grew up with BSL as her first language as she is the daughter of “profoundly deaf parents”.

Lancashire Telegraph: West Lancashire Labour MP, Rosie CooperWest Lancashire Labour MP, Rosie Cooper

Rosie said it is “essential” for BSL to be considered an official language adding that Rose Ayling-Ellis’ appearance on Strictly has come at the perfect time for the bill.

She said: “The timing couldn’t have been better! Rose Ayling-Ellis has brought this incredibly important issue into every living room via TV screens across the country while she conquered Strictly Come Dancing.

“As the daughter of profoundly deaf parents, I grew up with BSL as my first language, so to see it being used every weekend on Strictly is phenomenal.

“So many people are signing up to learn BSL and have a much clearer understanding of what BSL is and why it essential that we recognise it as an official language.”

“There are around 90,000 deaf people in the UK that rely on BSL, yet they have to fight every day to be heard or listened to!

“My Bill aims to help put deaf BSL users on a more equal playing field with everyone else, to require the Government to work with Deaf people to develop guidance on how public bodies should enable the use of BSL across their services.”

Ahead of the debate, she has invited all MPs to attend a drop-in event on 19 January, that she is hosting in Parliament with the support of the British Deaf Association, RNID and other charities representing the deaf community.

This is before the official parliamentary debate on the 28th January.