tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20400293278024515662011-11-24T23:26:24.421ZA space for Labour women to blog to their hearts' content and increase women's representation on the internet.Jessica Asatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441905380418678806noreply@blogger.comBlogger771100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-67470982871439109872011-08-17T10:47:00.003+01:002011-08-17T10:48:10.608+01:00

Rachelle Jailer Valladareshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11101535520454787824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-37522986923613461882011-05-05T07:56:00.000+01:002011-05-05T07:56:19.966+01:00

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Seema Malhotrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02184587029962994416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-59645399339658653122011-01-03T14:43:00.001Z2011-01-03T14:44:40.450Z

Rachelle Jailer Valladareshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11101535520454787824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-89572503611998884752010-10-06T12:22:00.002+01:002010-10-06T12:36:56.089+01:00

100 years ago today, one of the most successful and well known Labour woman politicians - Barbara Castle was born. She was elected to Parliament as MP for Blackburn in 1945, a seat she held before it was taken over by Jack Straw MP, her special adviser. There's a great piece about her life by Radio 4's Anne Perkins here, but just a few thoughts of my own. Barbara Castle was the "Harriet Harman"

Seema Malhotrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02184587029962994416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-12404119947781738922010-05-28T12:37:00.001+01:002010-05-28T12:44:16.278+01:00

I was as gutted as every other Labour supporter when the general election results came through. I'd worked hard with south thanet labour party for several months, phone canvassing and delivering leaflets. Our candidate lost his seat after 13 years a major disappointment in a key marginal area. Now it's time to regroup and reflect and commit to working hard in the local elections 2011 and

Judith Hairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07998610630057344090noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-11989768904289117762010-05-28T12:37:00.000+01:002010-05-28T12:44:13.393+01:00

I was as gutted as every other Labour supporter when the general election results came through. I'd worked hard with south thanet labour party for several months, phone canvassing and delivering leaflets. Our candidate lost his seat after 13 years a major disappointment in a key marginal area. Now it's time to regroup and reflect and commit to working hard in the local elections 2011 and

Judith Hairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07998610630057344090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-43726861344262662532010-05-20T21:26:00.004+01:002010-05-21T09:19:27.988+01:00

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Labour Women's Networkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17128996101737900767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-55865877771141203522010-04-27T15:51:00.001+01:002010-05-21T09:19:57.205+01:00

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Nan Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707186316574643026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-37237059309037031512010-03-30T10:01:00.005+01:002010-05-21T09:20:20.328+01:00

OK, so we've had the Chancellors' debate. It was interesting, but not a revelation. We discovered that Vince Cable is very good at being Vince Cable, that Alistair Darling is, as well as being a safe pair of hands, not without a sense of humour, and that George Osborne isn't quite up to the mark. No nasty surprises, then. No sudden dawning of the light. In other words, we got what we expected,

Nan Sloanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09707186316574643026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-85139505956588767912010-02-28T09:10:00.007Z2010-02-28T09:43:58.889Z

I've moved - please find me at moira4labour

Moira Macdonaldnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-90272595327276679062009-11-19T22:22:00.005Z2009-12-04T17:12:10.315Z

The soft power of Cathy Ashton She may have been a surprise candidate and she may be new to the field of foreign policy, but the election of Baroness Catherine Ashton as first EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs is an excellent choice. It is not only a good sign for the EU that one of the two new top jobs went to woman. Cathy, as she prefers to be called, brings along a certain kind of

Marie-Noelle Loewehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12196747124978502410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-86672500043642549362009-11-09T14:18:00.007Z2009-11-09T14:46:37.475Z

I watch in horror today as the bereaved mother of a dead solider is presented to the media to criticize Gordon Brown's handwriting and question his intention and sincerity. The Sun newspaper banner framing the shot conjures up images of Sun newspaper journalists snickering together, at that very moment, gleefully enjoying the spectacle they have created...What a despicable thing for a newspaper

Rebecca Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010887283623052460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-59234903750366330772009-10-27T11:44:00.005Z2009-10-29T10:18:45.529Z

The bin strike in Leeds rumbles on, now in its eighth week, even the Prime Minister has called for both sides to find a solution to end the dispute for the people of Leeds whose overflowing bins are bringing both misery and health concerns, amid fears it could continue to Christmas.But the issue is not simply a pay-cut issue in difficult economic times, although it is reported that the council

Rebecca Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010887283623052460noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-89144465905154917932009-10-18T21:29:00.001+01:002009-10-18T21:31:37.084+01:00

I cannot have been the only Assistant Principal who wondered a few weeks ago. ‘Will there be a job still for me in the 2 billion pound cuts of the future?’Ed Balls has said that money will be saved by cutting bureaucracy and creating school federations - reducing the number of senior leaders. Jobs, he has said, will be lost through ‘natural wastage’. For the first time the recession that has been

Mari Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11094805567893506875noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-44828983620565583382009-10-14T13:27:00.003+01:002009-10-14T13:41:10.713+01:00

On Saturday I joined thousands of people in marching across the Meadows to mark 100years since the suffragettes took to the streets of Edinburgh. Because of course we’re still two decades off marking the centenary of women’s suffrage itself. Not until 1928 did women ‘enjoy’ the same right to vote as men.- Could your granny vote?In 2009, twenty general elections later, there are just 126 female

Kezia Dugdalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18150448685847749049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-50546988550974344782009-08-17T06:10:00.014+01:002009-08-18T08:22:36.935+01:00

Remember this post and also this one relating to the legislation passed in Afghanistan in April which obliged Shia women to sexually submit to their husbands once every four days and to obtain her husband's permission before leaving the house? Remember the Shia women who had rocks and sticks thrown at them, were called "un-Islamic dogs" and received death threats for daring to go out on the

Sista Lhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284263989644461218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-21997352090919398682009-07-06T17:59:00.001+01:002009-07-06T18:08:36.512+01:00

A friend of mine, a couple of years ago, when asked what she would like for Christmas, requested some books on feminism. It was time, she decided, to get up to speed with what feminism meant in today’s society. The present giver looked for such books and could find none, just works from the seventies and eighties.If you are interested in feminist and cultural history, these are great. But if you

Ellie Levensonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12334424018480344071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-44830995221793661812009-06-23T15:17:00.004+01:002009-06-23T15:25:56.756+01:00

In 2004, the government made school uniform, truly "uniform" when it prohibited the wearing of any religious symbols (including headscarves, turbans and skullcaps) in all state schools. A large number of students who defied the ban and continued to wear such items were subsequently expelled and forced to pay for private tuition instead. The law excluded and isolated the very people that it

Sista Lhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284263989644461218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-10496414751369336852009-06-15T13:44:00.002+01:002009-06-15T13:46:42.224+01:00

It's great to see LWN have put an event together to give women training for parliamentary selections. Full details from their recent newsletter are below. LWN Training & Personal Development OpportunityWe are running a training weekend from the evening of Friday 10 July to the morning of Sunday 12 July. This is for women who are serious about wanting to be selected to fight a parliamentary seat

Jessica Asatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441905380418678806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-90435087867801272452009-06-06T12:14:00.000+01:002009-06-06T12:15:33.867+01:00

1. I was really proud to vote for two great labour women on Thursday: Sandra Holland for Mayor of Doncaster and Linda McAvan at the top of our euro candidates list.2. I can’t believe instead we have a mayor who stood for a party that wants to withdraw from the UN Convention on Refugees. Meanwhile he’s going to stamp out political correctness, by which as far as I can tell, he means

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14068245120515552214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-32283400739427522192009-05-29T11:02:00.000+01:002009-05-29T11:03:12.433+01:00

On Wednesday evening, the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva refused to answer calls for a UN inquiry into war crimes and backed the Sri Lankan Government by praising its victory over the Tamil Tigers.After weeks and weeks of demonstrations by Sri Lankan Tamils in Parliament Square, after allegations from both sides accusing each other of committing terrible atrocities, after actions from the Sri

Marie-Noelle Loewehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12196747124978502410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-67921404254802890042009-05-29T09:47:00.004+01:002009-05-29T10:02:43.013+01:00

I have finally joined this blog at a time I think all women everywhere should be celebrating, and decided to post straight away in the hope someone out there might start thinking. On 30th May 1929 women here under the age of 30 were able to vote in a General Election for the very first time. So shouldn't all our leading women be out there reminding women (and especially women under 30) how

AnnieBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00058156678860979373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-3256610927420518352009-05-17T22:51:00.003+01:002009-05-18T00:14:37.540+01:00

I've written two pieces on the expenses scandal on LabourList here and here But with every new frontpage, the extent of the moral decrepitude of some of our MPs becomes clear. Quite rightly Labour Party members are now voicing their right to have their say. We understand from the Guardian that the National Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday 19th will consider whether Constituency Labour

Jessica Asatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441905380418678806noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-45780244811720754482009-05-17T11:27:00.004+01:002009-05-17T12:37:26.968+01:00

There is no doubt that the expenses issue is a constitutional crisis, the likes of which I do not think we have seen in our time, not may see for another generation. In 100 years time, what we are going through will be the a key topic I am sure in many a GCSE student's history and politics class. It is hugely serious, and enormously sad. I for one feel enormously let down by politicians across

Seema Malhotrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02184587029962994416noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-67433654646081752702009-05-06T22:52:00.003+01:002009-05-06T23:55:27.091+01:00

A lot of vitriol has been thrown at Derek Draper who despite everything, staged quite a remarkable political comeback in the last two years. Some of the bile has been undeserved, but having been a close observer of e-campaigning and new media, I find it unsurprising. There were many things that Derek did wrong, but at the root of it all was a fundamental misunderstanding of how political debate

Jessica Asatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441905380418678806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-77304870995963848242009-05-01T13:53:00.004+01:002009-05-01T13:57:39.466+01:00

It's May 1st today, the 12 year anniversary of Labour's sweep to power in 1997. Tony Blair, then young, fresh with a head full of fluffy dark hair, took to the stage and announced that ''A new dawn has broken, has it not?'' The start of something better, a new era of hope and possibility had arrived. And oh my, was it overdue.I was 8 years old and living in the rural Tory heartland of

Claire Hazelgrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18092297383885160597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-37445347990043268032009-04-29T11:18:00.007+01:002009-04-29T11:38:21.434+01:00

My time in the Middle East is going really well. I've had my first barbeque in the desert, ridden a camel and I'm even learning a bit of Arabic (especially since it got me discount in the local shop last week). I've moved out of my temporary accommodation and am now living in an apartment block which seems to house mostly locals and a few other Westerners. My parents visited a couple

Sista Lhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284263989644461218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-39417865266538913932009-04-20T19:36:00.002+01:002009-04-20T19:38:30.855+01:00

I've signed up to the following statement which has been put together by a number of bloggers on the centre-left. I hope you support the sentiments too and would be interested in your comments.**************We are a group of Labour party members and supporters who believe that blogging can make an increasingly important contribution to progressive politics. We are seeking, in different ways, to

Jessica Asatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441905380418678806noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-57418472836253675692009-04-20T17:33:00.003+01:002009-04-20T19:23:34.097+01:00

A lot is being written about the Erith and Thamesmead selection process, but there was one line of argument which struck me as being particularly in need of perusal. In some of the print coverage of the postal vote accusations, it suggests that the large number of party members registered to vote by post in the selection must signify that something dodgy has happened. (The Labour Party meanwhile

Jessica Asatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441905380418678806noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-44151129720077811992009-04-17T15:50:00.003+01:002009-04-17T16:14:16.226+01:00

There ought to be more that the international community can do to support Afghan women who see their human rights under threat from new repressive national legislation.The bravery of those Shia women in Afghanistan who chose to take to the streets this week to protest was immense. For someone sitting here, it's hard to imagine being brave enough to do that.It was an incredibly scary and

Rachael Jolleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04830594240244312855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-82619128759801364892009-04-13T19:24:00.011+01:002009-04-13T19:53:18.848+01:00

Quite a week for the political blog. We've recently seen behind the veil of many a political blogger, with Derek Draper and Paul Staines (aka Guido Fawkes) going head to head on TV, shifting the polticial blog from the computer screen into our front rooms. A sign things were on the move?The friendships and angst sometimes felt between individual members of political parties is often released in

Claire Hazelgrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18092297383885160597noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-81779813499205301442009-04-05T19:21:00.002+01:002009-04-05T19:29:38.845+01:00

I’m not sure if this blogosphere is meant to be political or just for political women. If you think it’s the former then please skip over to the next post which will undoubtedly be far weightier and likely more interesting than mine. What inspired me to start pounding the keyboard today was a quick glance at the BBC news site where I read about an incredible sixteen year old called Alice Powell.

Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10833396140664726680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-84394573013993387712009-03-31T23:36:00.003+01:002009-03-31T23:52:13.737+01:00

Do other Labour women bloggers think that Jacqui Smith is being unfairly picked out because of her sex? I mean, there are just as many male MPs who have taken advantage of the fees office. I'm not defending the current expenses system, mind you, I think MPs should be paid a proper wage, and forget the John Lewis list. The public think it's madness, and so do I.But what I'm talking about is the

Jessica Asatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441905380418678806noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-31805824088813342582009-03-29T10:17:00.003+01:002009-03-29T10:57:21.749+01:00

Her eyes narrowed, and their gaze held mine for a few seconds. The contempt was all to obvious. Then her look shifted slowly from me to the people behind, and as it did so the looked changed from hatred to a demand for agreement. I saw the people behind edge slightly away, fearing they would be associated with me, and their eyes remained fixed firmly on the ground, afraid they would be drawn into

Lynnette Kellynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-40840259452125476242009-03-25T10:01:00.002Z2009-03-25T10:05:34.054Z

Another day, another article analysing 12 years of labour government and what went wrong. While agreeing with much of the new labour perspective on public service reforms: state regulation rather than control; what matters is good service, not who provides it etc. I feel there is something missing from the analysis. Perhaps it comes down to the obsession with choice and voice. The principle is

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14068245120515552214noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-8649055517596718422009-03-24T15:34:00.003Z2009-03-26T09:21:43.356Z

Before I came here, I had only ever travelled to Europe and the East Coast of the US. My first few weeks in the Middle East have been fantastic and I have many stories to tell of what it is like to live and work in the Middle East as a single Western woman. Hopefully, I will be able to find the time somewhere between the desert, the shopping malls and corporate law to share my stories on

Sista Lhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284263989644461218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-2613565338250746492009-03-23T08:00:00.002Z2009-03-23T08:00:01.338Z

The male dominated blogosphere in Scotland is awash with posts about All Women Shortlists and the current selection process for Airdrie and Shotts.Thought I'd take this opportunity to share with you my take on events as a politically active woman in Scottish politics with a few broader views on the health of party politics thrown in as well. Grateful to hear your views.

Kezia Dugdalehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18150448685847749049noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-26356517241898988752009-03-22T12:03:00.003Z2009-03-22T12:07:13.000Z

As tributes pour in for the late Jade Goody I stop for a moment to ponder on how this young woman's brave fight against cervical cancer has touched us all. Told four years ago that her symptoms were caused by stress she went about her daily life unaware she would be ravaged by this deadly cancer. As girls become sexually active before they reach their teens there is an urgent need for the

Judith Hairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07998610630057344090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-53904359922996145722009-03-20T14:47:00.002Z2009-03-20T14:49:40.283Z

I’ve noticed that lately, the Guardian has strengthened the virtual voice of some Eurosceptics by allowing them to blog on their comment is free website. This week alone, two of the contributors were an MEP from the UK Independence Party (whose role is an oxymoron in itself) and a senior figure from the Europhobe think tank Open Europe. That is, of course, the Guardian’s prerogative. But it

Marie-Noelle Loewehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12196747124978502410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-21098572055693258112009-03-17T17:25:00.003Z2009-03-17T17:29:07.540Z

Inspired by Jessica’s post about what to wear as a Labour woman, I wanted to write something about the broader context we are operating in.For me the most extreme symptom of the anti feminism backlash is the sexualisation of popular culture. Almost any product is sold using an image of a woman, and Playboy logos are used on stationary that is marketed at children. This is something that women

Rachael Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06881994737155752060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-50569766090529954672009-03-17T11:17:00.005Z2009-03-17T14:01:28.795Z

James Crabtree at Prospect just drew my attention to this blog by Katharine Quarmby explaining why the hijab creates havoc for her hair. She acknowledges that this is obviously trivial compared to the real issues women face in Iran, but still I liked the fact that she blogged about it because I think women should be allowed to talk about clothes in politics.Which got me back to thinking about a

Jessica Asatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441905380418678806noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-92060204507595774862009-03-16T21:16:00.002Z2009-03-17T02:03:38.918Z

On Saturday I went to a meeting of Manchester Labour Women's Forum. This is quite a new group and so far fairly small, but it's a great environment for discussion and has some good ideas about encouraging more women into politics, so I'd definitely recommend coming along if you're a Manchester Labour Woman. Julie Reid is the City Party Women's Officer, you can get in touch with her on julie.reid7

Grace Fletcher-Hackwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06199333272924353470noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-35111628943682855252009-03-14T07:17:00.002Z2009-03-14T07:21:10.925Z

FGM Female Genital Mutilation or Female Circumcision is a horrifying practice and it is still happening even in England. I want to raise awareness of this and it must be stopped. I have a cause on Facebook Stop Female Genital Mutilation and if you can write to your MPs it will helpI first learned about FGM in an article by the writer Ruth Rendell and I then wrote to her in the House of Lords.

Judith Hairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07998610630057344090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-60100639612697606652009-03-13T14:37:00.004Z2009-03-13T14:57:33.469Z

...I can't think of a way to make money out of this but it's comical nonetheless. Blackburn Labour have discovered a Tory logo-maker which, inexplicably, hasn't been taken down or restricted to Tories yet. The blogosphere has been having fun with it all day. I quite like this one:C'mon, have a go, it's Friday...

Grace Fletcher-Hackwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06199333272924353470noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-11365283061495914592009-03-11T10:54:00.003Z2009-03-11T11:01:37.053Z

Without a shadow of a doubt, the internet has become a hugely powerful part of everyday life. We use it to access information, to shop, to socialise, to plan our lives, to campaign for change to be a part of distant online communities and now thanks to this great initiative to start getting women’s voices heard – in our own words, on our own issues.Whilst it has annoyed me greatly that the

Kiran Mahilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15034466983439279628noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-50476114946159220202009-03-10T17:50:00.002Z2009-03-10T17:54:30.447Z

It’s a sign of a slow day when you start to worry about your pension.  I’ve worked out that  there’s no way I’ll have paid enough contributions to qualify for a state pension (39 years) when/if I retire.  What with all the usual interruptions  I probably have around ten years of contributions and I need a minimum of 30 years to qualify.  And for the record, I haven’t got any other sort of pension

Chingford Cathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12439797955219429866noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-41597120149910773222009-03-10T10:17:00.002Z2009-03-10T10:25:03.333Z

Statistics say one in four of us will experience mental illness at some time. I've been one of the four and know how much stigma there is attached to mental illness. It's a difficult subject for many to talk about or even acknowledge.Mental breakdown can happen at any time of the day or night. That's why we need bigger budgets for mental health, we need mental health support in the evenings

Judith Hairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07998610630057344090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-14148395600800052362009-03-10T00:06:00.002Z2009-03-10T00:22:18.708Z

This site has really exceeded my expectations and it's all down to you. We've had almost 30 posts in the last three days and they have all made me proud to be a Labour woman. We have shown that Labour women are not afraid of putting their thoughts into cyberspace, and that we are a diverse bunch with a great deal to say! (As if we didn't know that already). So my plea is that we keep on posting

Jessica Asatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441905380418678806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-42655883225314368572009-03-09T21:30:00.000Z2009-03-09T21:33:15.476Z

What a privilege to be in 10 Downing Street with a hundred women who have made an outstanding to their communities, along with Gordon and Sarah Brown. My guest for the evening was Alison Shaffner. Alison's contribution to my own constituency, Leeds West, encapsulates the evening in Downing Street – amazing women who have used their own experiences to change the communities they live and

Rachel Reeveshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04412023454431093366noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-65812463933096805122009-03-09T19:25:00.001Z2009-03-09T19:32:58.047Z

I’m a Labour woman, a member in Leeds with a national job in a charity, I’m also on the local panel and going through selection proceedings at the moment as local Leeds Labour branches choose their 2010 council candidates. It’s especially important in Leeds to pick candidates that can deliver a good campaign, work hard and win as we’re a few seats short of controlling the city. Labour

Rebecca Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07010887283623052460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-39689901633136312009-03-09T16:29:00.004Z2009-03-09T16:38:14.434Z

I'm Judith Haire and it's a privilege to be here. I'm 53. Yes I am a Politics graduate. I was lucky enough to read Politics at Sheffield University and the department there is still as vibrant as it ever was.The idea for this site is a brilliant one. There are too many men in politics and not enough women. I will start by talking about something I have direct experience of. I was in an

Judith Hairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07998610630057344090noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-14752289574897857752009-03-09T15:39:00.001Z2009-03-09T15:40:26.986Z

I came to the UK from The White House Project (WHP), based in New York. Their work focuses on transforming culture and changing perceptions surrounding women’s leadership. Their goal is to create a world where women and men lead alongside one another in all sectors – a world of genuine equality, where we move away from any attempt to level the playing field being dismissed as “political

JPufkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04174304010396877776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-54833300112224272862009-03-09T14:41:00.002Z2009-03-09T14:53:58.767Z

First, I want to thank Jess Asato for setting up this blogging space: I hope it will provide a useful means for us to share ideas and debate topics which are both specific to women in politics and broader issues as well.Let me kick off with Punch and Judy - puppets locked in endless wrangles and frequent bouts of pointless bashing that ultimately lead nowhere. Much was made by Cameron when he

Kathryn Whitehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14042825241293105998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-71016497528738772222009-03-09T11:58:00.000Z2009-03-09T11:59:08.726Z

I’m learning all the time about the history of the area that I now represent – there’s nothing I’m more grateful for than a resident who’s willing to tell me how their area has changed over time, for better or for worse, especially now, when all the estates in Mile End East have been or will be changed significantly, as they have all transferred to RSLs who are now undergoing regeneration work.A

Rachael Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06881994737155752060noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-89754258381744963162009-03-09T11:48:00.007Z2009-03-10T21:48:37.178Z

Last year, I was selected as a Prospective Parliamentary Candidate in a seat that Labour has held for fifty out of the last fifty-five years. Despite the initial expectation that this seat would be an all women shortlist, just before the selection started the party decided against it. At this point, I was advised by several friends that I should consider other seats where there were all-women

Emma Reynolds PPC, Wolverhampton North Easthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256474278819434539noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-19956489954890343832009-03-09T11:28:00.003Z2009-03-09T12:24:44.273Z

Last Thursday, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Omar al-Bashir, President of Sudan. He is being indicted with five counts of crimes against humanity and two counts of war crimes. Apart from the fact that the Sudanese Government does not recognise the ICC and the ICC has no mechanism of its own to execute an arrest warrant, Mr al-Bashir is also the first sitting

Marie-Noelle Loewehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12196747124978502410noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-40834025318263473312009-03-09T10:08:00.001Z2009-03-09T10:09:36.558Z

Glasgow City Council, Scotland’s largest Local Authority, announced over the weekend that, as of the 1st of April, all its workers will be paid a minimum of £7 an hour. This is £1.27 above the current minimum wage of £5.73 and works out at an annual income of £13,340 for a full-time worker.It is estimated that the move will cost Glasgow City Council up to £1.2 million a year with 681 employees

Judith Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270361996239114466noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-3247708763940301192009-03-09T09:49:00.003Z2009-03-09T10:31:40.274Z

Hazel Blears has red hair. This is one of the things that most people remember about her - not her cabinet post, but her hair. As a joke at a regional conference question time session I asked her whether she thought being a red head was a help or a hindrance. I have a vested interest in the answer - being a red head myself, though with the assistance of dye. She felt that being memorable was

Lynnette Kellynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-18693262955269142952009-03-09T09:40:00.003Z2009-03-09T09:46:43.556Z

These are interesting times for those who take a global perspective to the role of women in politics.On the one hand, in almost every region women’s low levels of literacy, pay, job security and political representation indicate that women still face a far more uncertain future than their male counterparts.On the other hand, globally girls are catching up with boys in terms of primary school

Leni Wildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07989064164931299480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-3526747968613043462009-03-09T09:27:00.000Z2009-03-09T09:51:18.537Z

I am so pleased to see this new Labour Womens blog.It's early days yet, but blogging is very male dominated, so it's great to have a forum for women to discuss the issues they care about.And the culture of blogging can be so cynical and corrosive to politics. So I really hope this will be a space for more mature and purposeful debate.There is so much potential for using the internet to reach out

Hazel Blearsnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-16069629241628130682009-03-09T09:00:00.002Z2009-03-09T09:00:00.397Z

On International Women's Day I was proud to be out canvassing with our great Labour candidate for the mayoral election in Doncaster, Sandra Holland. That election falls on the same day as the European elections in which I am a candidate. Women will make up half of the Labour Euro candidates this year. Contrast that with the number of women Conservative MEPs: two after the 2004 election, down to

Emma Hoddinotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05811397465395735715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-29045836478660399952009-03-09T07:44:00.003Z2009-03-09T08:18:46.161Z

My office is currently experiencing a West Wing obsession, and work regularly degenerates into a debate as to who in the office best fits which character. However, this character matching has a darker side...If ever you go out with a fellow politico it’s fairly predictable that at some stage in the first few dates the West Wing will come up. In my experience, a frequent occurrence is for my date

Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10833396140664726680noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-59098125138510246942009-03-09T01:18:00.005Z2009-03-09T01:26:17.558Z

Congrats to Jessica for setting up this much needed blog! I started blogging a year ago when I ran in the Fortune Green by-election - a ward that has been controlled by the Lib Dems for over 25 years.However, a friend convinced me to start blogging about my campaign just because he loved blogging himself. I was hesitant initially but I’m really glad I did because it spiralled from being just a

Tuliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03632559423238813135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-34645363091290760612009-03-08T23:08:00.003Z2009-03-08T23:12:42.756Z

An immortal line uttered by one of my lecturers, with a sparkle in his eye. He had just spied three of his colleagues from the feminist thought course hunched in earnest conversation over their morning coffee. I had to smile.But the comment does betray something that we will have to grapple with on this site. That there are quite a lot of people – men and women alike – who are a bit turned off

Eleanor Tunnicliffehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16344675107196539969noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-46730000675921723682009-03-08T21:48:00.000Z2009-03-08T21:50:21.744Z

Teenage pregnancies occur across the globe for various reasons. Britain is not gripped in an epidemic of teenage pregnancy as most of the population seems to think, but it is an issue that we need to tackle. I raise this as I come across it daily in my working life. With teenage pregnancy is attached social stigma and this often results in poor life outcomes for all involved.The irony is that

Bhavna Joshihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05608334549556443042noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-39031872667513965942009-03-08T21:45:00.012Z2009-03-09T11:50:08.235Z

As the launch of this site coincides with International Women’s Day I thought it might be an interesting place to start to dispel a malignant stereotype that has for far too long kept so many women off the political stage – the niggling thought that politics ‘just isn’t for them’.The idea of politics being much more of a ‘man’s world’ is a misconception at the very heart of explaining why, quite

Claire Hazelgrovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18092297383885160597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-44136861235138084672009-03-08T20:57:00.001Z2009-03-08T20:57:55.745Z

I was pleasantly surprised this afternoon as I wandered along the Southbank trying to get unsuspecting members of the public to agree to be interviewed about their views on whether Britain should join the euro (don’t ask). Maybe it was my incessant need to read the British blogospheres’ views on Europe that had left me in despair but the people I met today (both those for and against membership

Shrutihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01454521691441007767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-47544747303424918472009-03-08T20:36:00.000Z2009-03-08T20:37:31.916Z

However I am the PPC for Burton, which is the best constituency in the country. It is the home of the British Brewing Industry and has a proud brewing tradition dating back over 1,000 years. Every part of the town has some historic link to Beer from the Marmite factory, using the yeast by-product from beer, to the village of Tutbury, where I live, and the castle where Mary Queen of Scots was

Ruth4Burtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01105494145857565192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-65908465775978834422009-03-08T18:56:00.004Z2009-03-08T19:07:26.222Z

Today on International Women's Day, we blazed a trail through history, celebrating the achievements of women through the ages.We charted women's struggle for universal justice and simultaneously launched a brand-new CLP Women's Forum on its powerful maiden voyage, whilst outside the March vortex of wind and rain pelted the South Quay and the River Ouse in answering drama.Interspersed with my

Alexandra Kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11254035627706580484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-835490966005706072009-03-08T17:51:00.007Z2009-03-08T19:58:32.142Z

This blog site is a great idea - not least because it is looking to solve a problem most of us know exists, but which we find hard to articulate or support with "hard" evidence. The hypothesis that women don't get involved as much or speak up in political discourse because of the routes through which we force the conversation to take place was a real driver for me in setting up the Fabian Women's

Seema Malhotrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02184587029962994416noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-65874555187037837142009-03-08T16:30:00.002Z2009-03-08T18:27:10.430Z

When Jessica invited me to contribute to this blog I like many others was stuck thinking about what to write. Having largely avoided the world of blogging before I was unsure about which issue to concentrate on, what aspect of my experience of being a Labour woman I wanted to draw on. Should I list the numerous times I have had to justify all women shortlists to my male friends, should I recall

susan nashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07903206097030365931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-19543249698036129042009-03-08T14:25:00.000Z2009-03-08T14:50:03.114Z

My interest in politics developed, through the experience of being English born of Irish immigrants, in the early 1980’s. I thought about joining the Labour Party but I didn’t know how to, and never thought that standing in the High Street shouting and selling newspapers was for me. At University I was persuaded that the Labour Party could be home for the aspiration and experience of more than

Karin Smythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13171884867406319444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-1285658283556056452009-03-08T13:47:00.000Z2009-03-08T14:03:15.605Z

As we commemorate International Women's Day 2009, I thought it a fitting opportunity to reflect upon the steps taken in the last decade that have made a real difference to women's working lives. Trade Unions, women's groups and other campaigning organisations have been at the forefront of a movement to secure better rights, conditions and representation for women in the UK.From the minimum wage

Hannah Blythynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12722772700360503337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-57456896872407713172009-03-08T11:40:00.006Z2009-03-08T20:31:35.390Z

It's not particularly interesting, but it is a fact: in my final year at university I wrote a dissertation on how the mental processes by which we evaluate women and their contribution to society have not changed much in their fundamental nature, even if the way we express them has, since the time Kramer and Sprenger wrote their bestseller on how the best way to deal with women who didn't conform

Sadie Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410782617796066048noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-29117802149952115892009-03-08T06:21:00.000Z2009-03-08T07:23:26.154Z

Out canvassing in South Leicestershire I met a mental health nurse who was about to lose her job to an assistant without any qualifications. Her managers thought it would be cheaper, which it would. But it would probably be a much worse experience for her patients, who instead of getting someone who is well informed and qualified and understands their condition will get a "nice person"

Sally Gimsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05190699569038546567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-86551581798687775212009-03-07T18:47:00.000Z2009-03-07T18:52:53.476Z

This week the all-party Beer Group of MPs held a ‘summit on the UK pub crisis’, backed by the British Beer and Pub Association. The summit was attended by no fewer than five Ministers, which ensured it got more attention than your typical parliamentary meeting.The Group is concerned that five pubs a day are closing and argue that this risks the sustainability of many local communities, as well as

Kate Groucutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12984900682121029766noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040029327802451566.post-77005964372267183612009-03-07T18:25:00.000Z2009-03-08T01:14:59.083Z

Since announcing my intention of setting up a group blog for Labour women I've been talking to lots of female friends about why they think so few women blog about politics. We know that women use the internet more than men, so it's not to do with access, and you can find thousands of women on mumsnet and plenty of activity on feminist sites such as the fword. But apart from a few notable

Jessica Asatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02441905380418678806noreply@blogger.com2