Voices & Authors

The leading EU-institution-based researcher publishing specifically on the disability employment gap. Calculated the EU disability employment gap at 21.4 percentage points in 2022 (ranging from 8.5pp in Luxembourg to 37pp in Ireland). Produces the primary EU-level statistics used in policy.

The leading EU-institution-based researcher publishing specifically on the disability employment gap. Calculated the EU disability employment gap at 21.4 percentage points in 2022 (ranging from 8.5pp in Luxembourg to 37pp in Ireland). Produces the primary EU-level statistics used in policy.

The leading EU-institution-based researcher publishing specifically on the disability employment gap. Calculated the EU disability employment gap at 21.4 percentage points in 2022 (ranging from 8.5pp in Luxembourg to 37pp in Ireland). Produces the primary EU-level statistics used in policy.

The most senior advocacy voice for disability rights at EU level. Economics graduate with prior career as Head of Unit in DG EMPL and Cabinet Expert to Commissioner Schmit. Brings rare economic policy expertise to disability advocacy — engaging directly with Commissioners in their own language. Led EDF's open letter campaigns to Commissioner Lahbib on the Disability Employment Package.

The most senior advocacy voice for disability rights at EU level. Economics graduate with prior career as Head of Unit in DG EMPL and Cabinet Expert to Commissioner Schmit. Brings rare economic policy expertise to disability advocacy — engaging directly with Commissioners in their own language. Led EDF's open letter campaigns to Commissioner Lahbib on the Disability Employment Package.

The most senior advocacy voice for disability rights at EU level. Economics graduate with prior career as Head of Unit in DG EMPL and Cabinet Expert to Commissioner Schmit. Brings rare economic policy expertise to disability advocacy — engaging directly with Commissioners in their own language. Led EDF's open letter campaigns to Commissioner Lahbib on the Disability Employment Package.

Cabinet-level Labour voice on economic justice and social inclusion. Raised internal concerns in spring 2025 about the pace and scale of disability welfare cuts — positioning him as a senior counterweight voice within the UK government's fiscal-versus-rights debate on disability.

Cabinet-level Labour voice on economic justice and social inclusion. Raised internal concerns in spring 2025 about the pace and scale of disability welfare cuts — positioning him as a senior counterweight voice within the UK government's fiscal-versus-rights debate on disability.

Cabinet-level Labour voice on economic justice and social inclusion. Raised internal concerns in spring 2025 about the pace and scale of disability welfare cuts — positioning him as a senior counterweight voice within the UK government's fiscal-versus-rights debate on disability.

The UK's most prominent journalist covering disability economics and austerity. Author of 'Crippled: Austerity and the Demonisation of Disabled People' (Verso, 2019) — the definitive long-form account of how welfare and employment policy intersects with disabled people's economic lives. Won the Society of Editors Media Freedom Award 2024.

The UK's most prominent journalist covering disability economics and austerity. Author of 'Crippled: Austerity and the Demonisation of Disabled People' (Verso, 2019) — the definitive long-form account of how welfare and employment policy intersects with disabled people's economic lives. Won the Society of Editors Media Freedom Award 2024.

The UK's most prominent journalist covering disability economics and austerity. Author of 'Crippled: Austerity and the Demonisation of Disabled People' (Verso, 2019) — the definitive long-form account of how welfare and employment policy intersects with disabled people's economic lives. Won the Society of Editors Media Freedom Award 2024.

Commissioner for Equality in the 2024–2029 Commission, overseeing the EU Disability Rights Strategy (2021–2030) and the Disability Employment Package — the EU's flagship initiative to close the employment gap for 42.8 million working-age disabled people. Pushing for a Disability Employment and Skills Guarantee.

Commissioner for Equality in the 2024–2029 Commission, overseeing the EU Disability Rights Strategy (2021–2030) and the Disability Employment Package — the EU's flagship initiative to close the employment gap for 42.8 million working-age disabled people. Pushing for a Disability Employment and Skills Guarantee.

Commissioner for Equality in the 2024–2029 Commission, overseeing the EU Disability Rights Strategy (2021–2030) and the Disability Employment Package — the EU's flagship initiative to close the employment gap for 42.8 million working-age disabled people. Pushing for a Disability Employment and Skills Guarantee.

Architect of the UK government's approach to disability employment, launching specialist employment support programmes and framing disability inclusion as a workforce supply issue. Led the Get Britain Working White Paper (Nov 2024) and proposed job coaches on mental health wards.

Architect of the UK government's approach to disability employment, launching specialist employment support programmes and framing disability inclusion as a workforce supply issue. Led the Get Britain Working White Paper (Nov 2024) and proposed job coaches on mental health wards.

Architect of the UK government's approach to disability employment, launching specialist employment support programmes and framing disability inclusion as a workforce supply issue. Led the Get Britain Working White Paper (Nov 2024) and proposed job coaches on mental health wards.

Author of 'Landet som ble for rikt' (The Country That Became Too Rich, 2024) — a widely debated Norwegian book arguing Norway's welfare state is 'passivating' people rather than activating them. His critique has directly shaped the political debate on disability employment economics in Norway, noting 'Norway spends twice as much on sickness and disability than the number-two country'.

Author of 'Landet som ble for rikt' (The Country That Became Too Rich, 2024) — a widely debated Norwegian book arguing Norway's welfare state is 'passivating' people rather than activating them. His critique has directly shaped the political debate on disability employment economics in Norway, noting 'Norway spends twice as much on sickness and disability than the number-two country'.

Author of 'Landet som ble for rikt' (The Country That Became Too Rich, 2024) — a widely debated Norwegian book arguing Norway's welfare state is 'passivating' people rather than activating them. His critique has directly shaped the political debate on disability employment economics in Norway, noting 'Norway spends twice as much on sickness and disability than the number-two country'.

Author of 'Unleash Different: Achieving Business Success Through Disability' and producer of the annual Global Economics of Disability Report. The 2024 edition calculated the global disability market at $18 trillion in spending power (1.6 billion people). The only systematic investor-grade framework quantifying disability as a market opportunity.

Author of 'Unleash Different: Achieving Business Success Through Disability' and producer of the annual Global Economics of Disability Report. The 2024 edition calculated the global disability market at $18 trillion in spending power (1.6 billion people). The only systematic investor-grade framework quantifying disability as a market opportunity.

Author of 'Unleash Different: Achieving Business Success Through Disability' and producer of the annual Global Economics of Disability Report. The 2024 edition calculated the global disability market at $18 trillion in spending power (1.6 billion people). The only systematic investor-grade framework quantifying disability as a market opportunity.

Led the Parliament's own-initiative report on the EU disability strategy adopted by 409–9 votes in November 2025. Championed a European Agency for Accessibility, a Disability Employment Guarantee, and strengthened ESF+ funding. The most active MEP voice on disability economics in the current Parliament.

Led the Parliament's own-initiative report on the EU disability strategy adopted by 409–9 votes in November 2025. Championed a European Agency for Accessibility, a Disability Employment Guarantee, and strengthened ESF+ funding. The most active MEP voice on disability economics in the current Parliament.

Led the Parliament's own-initiative report on the EU disability strategy adopted by 409–9 votes in November 2025. Championed a European Agency for Accessibility, a Disability Employment Guarantee, and strengthened ESF+ funding. The most active MEP voice on disability economics in the current Parliament.

Co-authored the 2024 ETUI Working Paper (WP 2024.08) — the definitive current cross-national study on disability employment gaps across Europe. His work sits at the intersection of inequality, disability, political sociology and policy across OECD countries.

Co-authored the 2024 ETUI Working Paper (WP 2024.08) — the definitive current cross-national study on disability employment gaps across Europe. His work sits at the intersection of inequality, disability, political sociology and policy across OECD countries.

Co-authored the 2024 ETUI Working Paper (WP 2024.08) — the definitive current cross-national study on disability employment gaps across Europe. His work sits at the intersection of inequality, disability, political sociology and policy across OECD countries.

Sweden's lead on employment policy including disability and reduced-work-capacity inclusion, consistent with Sweden's 'work-first' tradition. Active in EU Council discussions on disability employment during Sweden's Nordic Council of Ministers presidency.

Sweden's lead on employment policy including disability and reduced-work-capacity inclusion, consistent with Sweden's 'work-first' tradition. Active in EU Council discussions on disability employment during Sweden's Nordic Council of Ministers presidency.

Sweden's lead on employment policy including disability and reduced-work-capacity inclusion, consistent with Sweden's 'work-first' tradition. Active in EU Council discussions on disability employment during Sweden's Nordic Council of Ministers presidency.

Driving Denmark's 'biggest simplification of the employment system in history' — a 31-initiative reform (April 2025) including major changes to disability and reduced-work-capacity support. Closing job centres and giving municipalities freedom to design activation support differently.

Driving Denmark's 'biggest simplification of the employment system in history' — a 31-initiative reform (April 2025) including major changes to disability and reduced-work-capacity support. Closing job centres and giving municipalities freedom to design activation support differently.

Driving Denmark's 'biggest simplification of the employment system in history' — a 31-initiative reform (April 2025) including major changes to disability and reduced-work-capacity support. Closing job centres and giving municipalities freedom to design activation support differently.

ASEE (rebranded from EUSE in spring 2024) represents over 1,200 service providers across Europe placing disabled people into open employment. Warson leads political engagement on the EU Disability Employment Package and the supported employment methodology — ASEE's most significant policy moment.

ASEE (rebranded from EUSE in spring 2024) represents over 1,200 service providers across Europe placing disabled people into open employment. Warson leads political engagement on the EU Disability Employment Package and the supported employment methodology — ASEE's most significant policy moment.

ASEE (rebranded from EUSE in spring 2024) represents over 1,200 service providers across Europe placing disabled people into open employment. Warson leads political engagement on the EU Disability Employment Package and the supported employment methodology — ASEE's most significant policy moment.

Publisher of Disability Debrief — the most comprehensive English-language monthly digest of global disability policy news including EU employment policy. Used by advocates, policymakers and researchers across Europe as a primary reference for tracking EU disability employment policy developments.

Publisher of Disability Debrief — the most comprehensive English-language monthly digest of global disability policy news including EU employment policy. Used by advocates, policymakers and researchers across Europe as a primary reference for tracking EU disability employment policy developments.

Publisher of Disability Debrief — the most comprehensive English-language monthly digest of global disability policy news including EU employment policy. Used by advocates, policymakers and researchers across Europe as a primary reference for tracking EU disability employment policy developments.

Co-authored the 2024 ETUI paper on disability labour market inequalities. Research examines how labour market structures and welfare states shape disability-based economic inequality across Europe and North America, with focus on the disability wage gap and intersectionality.

Co-authored the 2024 ETUI paper on disability labour market inequalities. Research examines how labour market structures and welfare states shape disability-based economic inequality across Europe and North America, with focus on the disability wage gap and intersectionality.

Co-authored the 2024 ETUI paper on disability labour market inequalities. Research examines how labour market structures and welfare states shape disability-based economic inequality across Europe and North America, with focus on the disability wage gap and intersectionality.

Led Norway's most significant period of disability policy reform, including the incorporation of the UN CRPD into Norwegian national law (2025) — explicitly strengthening the right of disabled people to employment. Also oversaw the IA Agreement (Inclusive Working Life) and NAV reform.

Led Norway's most significant period of disability policy reform, including the incorporation of the UN CRPD into Norwegian national law (2025) — explicitly strengthening the right of disabled people to employment. Also oversaw the IA Agreement (Inclusive Working Life) and NAV reform.

Led Norway's most significant period of disability policy reform, including the incorporation of the UN CRPD into Norwegian national law (2025) — explicitly strengthening the right of disabled people to employment. Also oversaw the IA Agreement (Inclusive Working Life) and NAV reform.

The ILO's primary statistician on disability labour market data. Produced ILO WP124 (2024) — the first systematic global analysis showing workers with disabilities earn 12% less per hour. Also launched the ILO disability labour market database used by researchers worldwide.

The ILO's primary statistician on disability labour market data. Produced ILO WP124 (2024) — the first systematic global analysis showing workers with disabilities earn 12% less per hour. Also launched the ILO disability labour market database used by researchers worldwide.

The ILO's primary statistician on disability labour market data. Produced ILO WP124 (2024) — the first systematic global analysis showing workers with disabilities earn 12% less per hour. Also launched the ILO disability labour market database used by researchers worldwide.

Cabinet-level Labour voice on economic justice and social inclusion. Raised internal concerns in spring 2025 about the pace and scale of disability welfare cuts — positioning him as a senior counterweight voice within the UK government's fiscal-versus-rights debate on disability.

The leading EU-institution-based researcher publishing specifically on the disability employment gap. Calculated the EU disability employment gap at 21.4 percentage points in 2022 (ranging from 8.5pp in Luxembourg to 37pp in Ireland). Produces the primary EU-level statistics used in policy.

The most senior advocacy voice for disability rights at EU level. Economics graduate with prior career as Head of Unit in DG EMPL and Cabinet Expert to Commissioner Schmit. Brings rare economic policy expertise to disability advocacy — engaging directly with Commissioners in their own language. Led EDF's open letter campaigns to Commissioner Lahbib on the Disability Employment Package.

The UK's most prominent journalist covering disability economics and austerity. Author of 'Crippled: Austerity and the Demonisation of Disabled People' (Verso, 2019) — the definitive long-form account of how welfare and employment policy intersects with disabled people's economic lives. Won the Society of Editors Media Freedom Award 2024.

Author of 'Landet som ble for rikt' (The Country That Became Too Rich, 2024) — a widely debated Norwegian book arguing Norway's welfare state is 'passivating' people rather than activating them. His critique has directly shaped the political debate on disability employment economics in Norway, noting 'Norway spends twice as much on sickness and disability than the number-two country'.