I am glad to see Izzy has problems

I imagine it's just a coincidence that Coronation Street's recent storylines are in line with pleas I made in a previous column - but it's a nice one, all the same.

Just months ago, I called on the soap's makers to do more to make the impact of living with a disability more visible.

I'd spent a long time growing frustrated at the limited portrayal of character Izzy Armstrong, who has the same disability I do.

Although wheelchair bound, Izzy seemed to get through life without a problem, without a bad day or a single complaint.

Recent weeks, however, have shed light on some of the realities associated with chronic pain and loss of mobility.

For the first time I can remember, I've seen Izzy struggle with daily life, watched her break down in desperate tears when the pain got too much.

This isn't just another storyline for me, it feels like an important step in improving the representation of disabled people in popular media.

I believe representation plays a huge part in how we view the world around us and in the assumptions we make, the stereotypes we create.

It's stating the obvious to say that some people with disabilities are capable of remarkable things.

And it is with good reason we celebrate the strength and achievements of those who balance remarkable success with a chronic illness or disability.

In Izzy Armstrong, it's great to see the inclusion of a character who's not stereotyped by her disability, a hard-working single mum with a rich life who never seems to struggle.

However, by rendering invisible the impact of her disability on her day-to-day life, Corrie was pushing a sanitised version of an unrealistically accessible world.

Nobody - least of all me - wants to be defined by their disability, but hiding the reality of disabled life does no favours for anyone, especially now.

Representation of the disabled is still limited and narrow in its scope and not everyone knows someone living with a disability.

It paves the way for misconception - if nobody ever sees a struggle, is it possible that some may come to think there is no struggle to be had?

It feels vitally important to get these representations right wherever possible, especially now that the disabled seem like fair game in the austerity war.

People in the UK fought for generations to secure an accessible country for all, to fashion a safety net that attempts to put everyone on equal footing where possible.

Under the Tories, though, that world is slowly coming apart at the seams and the impact of that should be shown, shouted from the rooftops wherever possible.

The disabled are being targeted, benefits and assistance stripped from thousands of the UK's most vulnerable people.

It's often hard enough trying to make your way through the world with a disability, without having to contend with a government that seems intent on punishing you for needing extra help.

Charges for blue badge parking, for example, are creeping into most towns as local authorities attempt to claw back money lost through government cuts.

Driving isn't always an option when you can't walk far, when you need to transport aids, when you can't manage or rely on public transport.

These charges are a tax on the disabled and yet another way in which the often disadvantaged are becoming even more so.

So, I'm glad Izzy's having problems and I hope they extend to include some of those inflicted by this cold government.

It's time to represent the true impact of living with a disability where feasible - if the rest of the world is consistently shown we're doing just fine, why would they fight alongside us?