tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60410787345865779072024-03-14T08:38:58.767+00:00Jo Christie-SmithJo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.comBlogger218125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-89968728211568083602014-11-25T08:00:00.000+00:002014-11-25T08:00:08.682+00:00What if there are no female Lib Dem MPS left?!!!?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday we went to a lunch party and the conversation turned to the
electoral prospects of the fifty odd Lib Dem MPs and how many the LIb
Dems may lose <i>if</i> you believe Peter Kellner's prediction at the
Lib Dem Conference Fringe in Glasgow this year that the Lib Dems are
going to become a party with around 10% of the vote in future years and
gone for some time are the heady days when we can count on 20% of the
vote. Of
course, Peter Kellner may be wrong and it may not be that bad but I do
think not to at least countenance such a drop in support at a General
Election would be a tad over optimistic.<br />
<br />
It was pretty depressing
listening and looks like it would leave us with a grand total of zero
female Lib Dem MPs. A parliamentary party that is 100% male and 100%
white. Wow! And given the inroads that Labour and the Tories have been
making in recent years to increase their numbers of women MPs you'd have
to conclude that a collapse in the LIb Dem vote will result in a better
gender balanced House of Commons.<br />
<br />
The thought of belonging to a
political party that has no female representation in the Commons,
well...I don't think it's really sunk in. I find it shocking and then
just angry when I think of all the opportunities that we've had to put
women into our least vulnerable seats (Eastleigh, anyone?) and for
various reasons didn't. Because something else was always more
important, that we just had to win this one, go for a safe bet of a
candidate, go for someone local, wait another year or so, or whatever
other reason that has been given as to why now is not quite the time to
finally start delivering on real equality of power in the party.<br />
<br />
And
now? And now it looks like it's a little bit too late because the few
women that the LIb Dems do have are in the most marginal and vulnerable
of seats and they will likely be gone. Oh, yes, it is so very hard to
increase the number of women when you're losing seats, isn't it? Except
that the LIb Dems could have seen it coming, we could have mitigated
against the risk by making sure we had women in safe seats (Eastleigh,
again, anyone?) even years ago when we were on our winning streak. 'Cos
lets face it, if you don't sort this stuff out when you're on your
winning streak, then you sure as hell aren't going to sort it out when
you'reheading for the new electoral landscape that we seem to be.<br />
<br />
Yet
no one, no one in a position of leadership has done anything that has
made a blind bit of difference, not once, in the 15 years I've been a
member of the Liberal Democrats, the 10 years or so that I've been
active and the 6 odd years that I've been writing about the lack of
equality in female representation (and power) in the Liberal Democrats.
Lots of good words and hand wringing but no actual action.<br />
<br />
The
Liberal Democrats have lost so many good female activists over the
Rennard debacle and sidelined others when they could have chosen to give
them safe seats in by-elections. And what are these women doing now?
Well, because so many of them are really good people they're off doing
new and exciting things: leading the organisations they work for,
sitting on the boards of major campaigning organisations, being fast
tracked in their career, etc, etc because they're <i>good. G</i>ood
people have choices and they're not going to hang around where they
don't seem to be wanted just waiting until the party gets around to
thinking that equality of power includes it's female members as well as
the voting public.<br />
<br />
So come June next year, when the party sits
surveying more lost councillors and many lost parliamentary
constituencies and the likely probability of no female MPs, will that be
enough to kick it into action on gender equality? I am not holding out
much hope. Why would the mixture of complacency and incompetence that
has been the hallmark of the party when it comes to gender
representation to date change? Because, you know what the priority will
be? To win seats back and we'll all just have to be pragmatic about it,
won't we? And gender equality will, like all the other markers of power
imbalance in Liberal Democrat MPs, be required to take a back seat until
we're back in the race again. Or when we get Proportional
Representation. Or something. Just as long is we understand that now is
not quite the time.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This post was originally posted on my lifestyle blog <a href="http://coulddobetter.org.uk/ched-evans-not-ready-for-rehabilitation/" target="_blank">Could Do Better</a>; head over if you like your politics and feminism interrupted by posts of food, parenting and other stuff.</i></span>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-15721772966933763442014-11-21T16:27:00.001+00:002014-11-24T15:26:40.539+00:00Rochester and UKIP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHx10-rOmGisAOa3y61hd7iqxCXUaFZLgSfMPBYW6Nfd7tTKhDJXztofZEzxnpBHExCWgq1QzWqw0Y1Oezb5PhX4Mg-4-ZTyjPTRNqmhtXyzqGHaId0kOpriOITZpwL36ThDYFCxEEHQ/s1600/v2nigel-farage-rochester.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheHx10-rOmGisAOa3y61hd7iqxCXUaFZLgSfMPBYW6Nfd7tTKhDJXztofZEzxnpBHExCWgq1QzWqw0Y1Oezb5PhX4Mg-4-ZTyjPTRNqmhtXyzqGHaId0kOpriOITZpwL36ThDYFCxEEHQ/s1600/v2nigel-farage-rochester.jpg" height="135" width="320" /></a></div>
Well, one thing is clear: with 349 votes and a lost deposit, the Liberal Democrats are no longer the party of protest. <img alt="" class="wp-more-tag mce-wp-more" data-mce-placeholder="1" data-mce-resize="false" data-mce-src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" data-wp-more-text="" data-wp-more="more" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" title="Read more..." />
Of course, they're not, because they are a party of government and the
junior partner in the coalition. What is happening to the Lib Dem vote
is highly predictable and no surprise - look at countries like New
Zealand where coalition politics is the norm and s<a data-mce-href="http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/how-smaller-parties-fare-in-coalition-lessons-for-the-liberal-democrats-in-the-run-up-to-2015/" href="http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/how-smaller-parties-fare-in-coalition-lessons-for-the-liberal-democrats-in-the-run-up-to-2015/">ee what happens to the junior partners</a>.<br />
As
a number of people have mentioned this morning on Twitter, at least we
know who the core, against all the odd, support is in Rochester - all of
whom have shown enough commitment to make them excellent members!
Alternatively, it looks like the candidate managed to get his Facebook
friends out to vote for him and not many others. Still, what a
thankless task it, to be a Lib Dem by-election candidate these days.<br />
<br />
So,
looking at Liberal Democrat history to provide a model of a party
coming from nowhere into Government, UKIP are cock a hoop. A party of
protest, ridiculed and patronised by mainstream parties builds first
one, then two, then enough seats to fill a car eventually where they are
holding the balance of power in a coalition government and KER-CHOW!!
(as Lightning McQueen might say) our membership of the EU is binned in
spectacular fashion. Or perhaps even the threat of UKIP holding the
balance of power is enough to get the Tories to come up with the idea of
binning the EU themselves.<br />
<br />
If we buy the proposition that this is
not just normal by-election sabre rattling by the electorate and this
really is the first steps towards a completely new political landscape
then UKIPs new supporters, drawn from all the mainstream parties should
be aware that Nigel Farage is no man of the people, he is drawn from the
same establishment pool as all those other establishment politicians
that the public love to pour scorn on. His alma mater is Dulwich
College, one of the top nine private schools in the country with a
reputation for producing, like Eton and Westminster, political leaders.
He is a very talented communicator whom we should be very wary of
because UKIP polices are really very nasty. <a data-mce-href="http://symonhill.wordpress.com/2014/01/21/if-you-think-ukips-members-are-extreme-read-its-official-policies/" href="http://symonhill.wordpress.com/2014/01/21/if-you-think-ukips-members-are-extreme-read-its-official-policies/">It's
not just immigration and the EU, they want to bring in a form of
workfare, withdraw from the UN Convention on Refugees, increase military
spending by 40% and create a national curriculum which is pro
imperialist and denies climate change.</a> The reason they are always
having to apologise for their candidates is not that they pick the wrong
ones, it's because their candidates are actually reflecting UKIP
beliefs about the sort of country we want to be.<br />
<br />
So, I am hopeful
that this is not a new dawn of politics and that UKIP will not be able
to follow the Liberal Democrat model into Government because , with the
exception of the Tuition Fees debacle (which should never, ever have
been a Liberal Democrat policy, let alone a key pillar of the campaign)
the Liberal Democrats have policies which have been opened up to proper
scrutiny; some people like them and some people hate them but we know
what they are not least because the have been written down. But we know
very little about UKIP policy, which <a data-mce-href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30157507" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30157507">changes on the whim of Nigel Farage</a>
and that when looked at more closely, favour the rich and invincible
and do very little to help the type of people who are voting for them
now. I think we should let UKIP have their day in the sun and know that
when placed under scrutiny the British voter will see them for what
they are.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This post was updated on Sunday 23rd NOvember 2014, with some extra links and some editing of text. </i></span>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-11091161211948223232014-11-17T13:17:00.001+00:002015-01-05T09:10:16.619+00:00Ched Evans: Not ready for rehabilitation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWz_Uv7sa1aCeANT7DaaE7uOaDGwW5OlE9bYYQeGyUCXcsBDQuVc6rkvbEScpycYZjUONmaT_yNyDuiZDAhLpCw6ZmO7HxAaGOqUenYiw4OWWwZMeVINmuH9f7DSX2cLhAh3bizZr6viE/s1600/_78954377_ched-evans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWz_Uv7sa1aCeANT7DaaE7uOaDGwW5OlE9bYYQeGyUCXcsBDQuVc6rkvbEScpycYZjUONmaT_yNyDuiZDAhLpCw6ZmO7HxAaGOqUenYiw4OWWwZMeVINmuH9f7DSX2cLhAh3bizZr6viE/s1600/_78954377_ched-evans.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
It's really important that those leaving prison have an opportunity
to rehabilitate themselves; having suffered the punishment for their
crime, that they and their families have an opportunity to move on with
their lives and become useful members of society.So, that's why
it's important to understand that the revulsion that so many of us feel
at the thought of the convicted rapist Ched Evans being able to walk
back into his job as a footballer at Sheffield United is not one based
on the principle that no rapist can ever be rehabilitated <img alt="" class="wp-more-tag mce-wp-more" data-mce-placeholder="1" data-mce-resize="false" data-mce-src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" data-wp-more-text="" data-wp-more="more" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" title="Read more..." />or pursue a career that they're good at or that could bring them rewards. Rather, the revulsion is that this <i>particular</i> man should be invited back to to such a high profile and rewarding job as a league footballer.<br />
The
first reason that his reinstatement at Sheffield United is unthinkable
is his own attitude to his crime. He is a convicted rapist, that is a
fact. However, he is convinced that someone as drunk as his victim was
when he raped her is able to give informed consent. The law says
otherwise, indeed the judge in sentencing him said of his victim that
she:<br />
<blockquote>
was in no position to form a capacity to consent to sexual intercourse, and you, when you arrived, must have realised that</blockquote>
But
Ched Evans shows no remorse, no sense of understanding that he has a
responsibility to ensure that the people he has sex with are able to
give informed consent - no instead, w<a data-mce-href="http://www.chedevans.com/" href="http://www.chedevans.com/">e should all feel very sorry for him, a victim of justice</a>!
Note how he talks about the 'alleged victim' on his website - which
just shows you just how far removed from understanding his crime he is -
because he is a convicted rapist and there is nothing alleged about
her, she was indeed his victim.<br />
You can't rehabilitate until you
recognise your crime, until you take responsibility for your crime and
understand the impact of your crime on your victim. There is nothing in
that website that makes me think that Ched Evans wouldn't behave in
exactly the same way again. Be clear, I don't mind that he likes to
sleep with strangers, that he likes group sex and that he likes to be
watched and filmed. I don't even care that he does all this whilst in a
relationship with someone else. None of these things are illegal and
are all down to him. It is that he doesn't understand that he needs to
get informed consent and that if he doesn't, because the victim was too
drunk to be able to give it (which is a pretty objective test), that he
is indeed a rapist.<br />
Secondly, even if he had shown remorse or
taken responsibility for his crime, there would still be a question mark
over his ability to renew his league football career. And that's
because professional footballers, however ill-suited some of them may
be to the role, are role models for millions of young people. To be
able, to carry on, rehabilitated or not, just where you left off seems a
very strange message to give young people. Prison is indeed a
punishment but the loss of reputation and career is also part of the
punishment and rehabilitation has to be worked for, it's not in the gift
of a football club.<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://coulddobetter.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/stream_img.jpg" href="http://coulddobetter.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/stream_img.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="stream_img" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-53" data-mce-src="http://coulddobetter.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/stream_img-300x168.jpg" src="http://coulddobetter.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/stream_img-300x168.jpg" height="168" width="300" /></a>So,
good for Jessica Ennis-Hill, who has asked for her name to be removed
from the stand named in her honour, and the three patrons of Sheffield
Ltd who have stood down since Ched Evans started retraining back with
Sheffield. As Jessica says,<br />
<blockquote>
I
believe being a role model to young people is a huge honour and those
in positions of influence in communities should respect the role they
play in young people’s lives and set a good example.<br />
If Evans was to be re-signed by the club it would completely contradict these beliefs.</blockquote>
You
do have to wonder what world these footballers, and the clubs that
employ them, are living in that they can't see the impossibility of an
unrepentant, convicted rapist being able to swan back in as if nothing
has happened. Of course, it would not be illegal to re-employ him but
this is where societal norms play a role. It is a test for our society:
if Ched Evans can be reinstated and that is acceptable then we really
are in a bad place.<br />
<br />
However, I am more of an optimist than that and I believe leaders and influencers such as Jessica Ennis and <a data-mce-href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-30049356" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-30049356">Carwyn Jones </a>will
ensure that the right thing happens. Indeed, this is a very good
example of why we need more women in positions of power and leadership
in our country; to set the norm for acceptable behaviour.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This post was originally posted on my lifestyle blog <a href="http://coulddobetter.org.uk/ched-evans-not-ready-for-rehabilitation/" target="_blank">Could Do Better</a>; head over if you like your politics and feminism interrupted by posts of food, parenting and other stuff.</i></span>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-90104201224395016392013-07-11T10:51:00.001+01:002013-07-11T10:56:12.884+01:00Would primaries mean more women?Lots of discussion on the TV last night and the radio this morning about Ed Milliband's suggestion of primaries for Labour Westminster constituency selections.<br />
<br />
I'm all for primary selections and I don't much understand why anybody would be against them; after all, it is the whole constituency that you are going to be representing not just the 30 or so activist that can be bothered to vote.<br />
<br />
But I think there are so many more benefits to politics that the obvious democratic one above. For a start I think, despite being a vastly larger selectorate, I think it will make the whole process of selection less onerous for a candidate which can only be a good thing. As someone who has spent actual years of her life attempting (<i>and failing</i>) to get selected in her home seat, I found as time went on the only way to do it was to woo each member individually and this sometimes took half an afternoon spent in their front room discussing all sorts of things, many of which frankly have no bearing on either what sort of candidate you'd make, how you'd run the campaign and even what sort of MP you'd make. Just the whim of an indulged activist, one of 120 that need wooing in that selectorate (for some reason the region had decided that all 3 constituencies forming the local party, would vote in the selection).<br />
<br />
I would say, that last time that I attempted selection that this tactic worked to the point that it got me equal votes in the selection with the eventual (and incumbent candidate), it didn't help much when they tossed the coin to see which of us would win! Indeed, although a failing candidate I had a troup of people come and ask for my best practice on how to run a selection campaign in the months after.<br />
<br />
If you're selectorate is larger then you have no hope of winning by picking people off one by one in such an intense fashion, so you don't do it. In fact the campaign you would have to run to win a primary is far more akin to the kind of campaign you would have to run to win the seat in an election and therefore actually worthwhile doing even if you don't win the selection. One of the most frustrating things about my experience of selection (apart from not winning of course) was the amount of time and effort it took just to fail and that type of activity was not transferable but only relevant to dealing with internal party politics and power struggles.<br />
<br />
So, I decided after the same thing happened in a by-election for a council seat (where I also lived) I decided that I wasn't going to waste my time any more, and as I'm in demand and have choices I went off and did something more meritorious instead. Part of that as a masters at Law, hence my blogosphere silence for the last three years. But it's not just my personal feeling about how I spent my time but the waste of effort on behalf of the most active of activists - I could have been out doing things that were going to wins real votes instead!<br />
<br />
I also think there'd be less potential for squishing.<br />
<br />
I've worked in big, national brand corporations for much of my working life and boy they are competitive places. It's easy to see people squishing and being squished as a particularly ambitious individual makes their way up the organisation. But, unlike in political parties, you don't tend get groups of people going around squishing people <i>on behalf</i> of the rising stars in the organisation. This level of backstabbing, political shenanigans, perpertrated by those not even sacrificing anything in their life but viewing it all more as entertainment really puts people off. It sure as hell puts me off. I do still wonder how many hours I spent in front rooms being quizzed on the most fringeworthy of topics just to keep me wasting my time for longer. And I've just giving you one of the nicer examples of how people behave - there are far worse!<br />
<br />
You can say that it's all good practice for the realities of Westminster life but this is a circular argument. Because we make it a condition of entry then we fill the place with people who think this is the best way to succeed and to legislate and eventually to govern. We miss out on many, many people because we insist on parliament being like this.<br />
<br />
I have no intention of standing for parliament again; even though when I did in 2005 I really enjoyed it and even though I think I 'd make a great candidate and an even better MP. I'm not standing again because I don't have the stomach for the selection, because I did quite a few of them over a four year period and put my all into it, did everything that was asked of me and did it well and still failed. So, twice that failure was down to pulling the wrong name out of a hat (can you believe it?) and maybe the next time it would have worked. But I think the whole way that we as activists treat those who want to be candidates, our expectations of them and our preference for white middle class men means that I'm not going to take part until the process changes and somehow the culture of candidate selection changes.<br />
<br />
I think primaries would be a smashing idea, I think it would produce more women, more people who have been doing demanding jobs other than politics and so haven't had the time to cultivate the local cliques in political parties. I think it would produce a wider of variety of races take part, sexualities and (dis)abilities who, I think rightly, have more faith in the general public than the prejudices of a small group about what makes the best MP. I think it would be a fantastic practice for an actual election and therefore have its own value, even failure would not be a waste of time. Good candidates pursuing selection within the whole constituency would start to bring in votes even before they've been elected.<br />
<br />
It's draw back is that it is expensive but really it has to be looked at as the start of the election campaign and is therefore not wasted money. We should use it in our safest, most important seats so putting on a primary would actually bring a local party extra campaign funding and be a sign of status.<br />
<br />
Our lack of diversity is shameful and the only thing that has ever created even 30% of women in a national parliament is quotas. Only quotas work, there is no special Liberal Democrat alternative route to diversity, there is just this one way. However, although quotas can be easily implemented across gender but it is not as easy across other under-represented groups but primaries would help increase every sort of diversity and we like the Tories and Labour should really consider bringing them in.Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-18621197826687133372013-06-09T12:09:00.000+01:002013-06-09T12:09:19.907+01:00A new organisation for Women
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Yesterday, I attended the wind up of Women
Liberal Democrats and the inaugural meeting of Liberal Democrat Women; and
whilst it may sound like the most semantic of all name changes, there is indeed
a real change in the organisation as a result.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For a start, it is not so much a name change
as a merger of the two groups that promoted the role of women. The Campaign for
Gender Balance (CFGB), a top down organisation appointed by the Federal
Executive, is no more but the activities that it undertook are within the scope
of the new organisation, including a report to conference. A report to
conference that always seems to be timed for the fewest number of people to
attend, but a valuable voice for women in the party none the less.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">What is left is a group of women, keen to
engage with the party on issues that affect all of us, not just women, but at
the same time are issues that affect women in a different way to the way they
affect men and to make sure that 'other' voice is heard. Following an all
member survey, key areas to campaign on have been identified and a number of
working groups are being set up to ensure those campaigns succeed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Of course, women in the Liberal Democrats
have a wide variety of views and experiences, just as all Liberal Democrats do
and identity politics (which this is) is a difficult horse for us as liberals
to ride. But, we're not just liberals, we are also democrats and so, we
have to make sure that this campaigning organisation gives a voice for women in
the party who are not a minority but so often absent from the debates.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I know that all the activists, male and
female, that have gone abroad, to places such as the US and New Zealand have
been amazed to see how women organise within political parties to become a
caucus that cannot just be ignored as they often are in the Liberal Democrats.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If we do not organise, then we will not be
heard. Those that want to hear the voice of Liberal Democrat women will
have no one to go and ask or to speak to. Just last week when parliament
marked the centenary of Emily Davidson, militant suffragette, throwing herself
under a horse at the Epsom Derby, there was NO Liberal Democrat speaker!
A stitch up by the Labour and Tory organisers perhaps but also a sympton of a
lack of organisation by Liberal Democrat parliamentarians. I understand
that women parliamentarians are now looking to meet and organise themselves
into a group to ensure this kind of thing does not happen again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In the mean time, the newly constituted
Liberal Democrat Women, has opened nominations for their first ever Executive.
Nomination forms need to be in by 2pm on Friday
5th July 2013. If you are interested in standing for Election for the
Liberal Democrat Women Executive (you need to be either a member of the old
Women Liberal Democrats or to have joined Liberal Democrat Women by the 14th
June 2013) then I believe the person to email for more info is Roxana Cimpeanu
at LDHQ (020 7227 1319 <a href="http://www.cloudflare.com/email-protection#cbb9a4b3aaa5aae5a8a2a6bbaeaaa5be8ba7a2a9afaea6b8e5a4b9ace5bea0">roxana.cimpeanu@libdems.org.uk</a>).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I really enjoyed meeting my fellow (!!)
Liberal Democrat Women in Birmingham yesterday - there was a complete range of
ages and experiences that bodes very well for us but also a great deal of
energy and enthusiasm for the challenges ahead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I will post more on the working groups
shortly when I have found all the contact details etc.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span></div>
Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-869019309580414032010-10-17T22:24:00.003+01:002010-10-17T22:28:17.813+01:00Tying up loose ends...I haven't posted in nearly two months and in fact, my posts have been few and far between for at least the last year.<br /><br />I wish I had more time to blog but with full time work, a time hungry allotment and a masters law degree in the evenings it's become an idle dream!<br /><br />So, I've made a decision that I'm not going to blog for a while and probably not until I complete my Law Masters.<br /><br />I will continue to Twitter though; my social network de choix!!!Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-42802950204284452182010-09-07T19:12:00.005+01:002010-09-07T19:22:36.950+01:00Is the Campaign for Gender Balance trying to kid us (or just themselves?)<div class="posterous_autopost"><p>In its report to Conference<a name="_ftnref" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6041078734586577907&postID=4280295020428445218#_ftn1"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span>[1]</span></span></a> the Campaign for Gender Balance (CFGB) states that it knows what works.<span> </span>No, really, in the year that we actually reduced the number of women in parliament, it says that it knows what works!</p> <p>It is beyond my comprehension that the CFGB can suggest this when we have fewer female MPs than ever in Parliament. At some point the CFGB has to understand that it is the outcome not the activity that really counts. That we would have done better if things had been different is not a response worthy of the intelligent & sensible heads running the CFGB.</p> <p>Let's stop kidding ourselves that the route to greater female representation lies solely in encouragement & mentoring - handy as they are for some women - and look at some things that actually do work, in deed, on the evidence the only thing that has ever worked in a national parliament and that is quotas.<span> </span>To think we'll get there with encouragement and a bit of training is to follow the blind ideology that the only way to be fair and liberal is to ignore the difference that quotas make & place ambitions of the numerous but unremarkable male party hack above the difference that women and ethnic minorities in power would make to the well being of the whole planet.</p> <p>The CFGB is in danger of becoming window dressing for a party that pays lip service to female representation.<span> </span>Even an 'A’ list like the Tories had, would be better that the current restricted scope of the Campaign for Gender Balance.<span> </span>Indeed if the CFGB is a mentoring programme then the ‘A’ list could be seen as the first part of a sponsorship programme: an informed assessment of those potential candidates that warrant sponsorship.</p> <p>In this month’s Harvard Business Review (thanks to <a href="http://www.neilstockley.blogspot.com/">Neil Stockley</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/unorder">Shawn Callahan </a>from <a href="http://www.anecdote.com/">Anecdote</a> for the hat tip) there is a fascinating <a href="http://hbr.org/2010/09/why-men-still-get-more-promotions-than-women/ar/1">article</a> that points out that the difference between men and women's upward trajectory in business is that women get mentored and men get sponsored.</p> <p>This means that it’s still men getting most of the promotions or, translated into what we Lib Dems are dealing with, getting the positions of power, seats in Parliament, the government and in the Cabinet.</p> <p>If we’re not as a party ready to countenance quotas for parliament (which is weird because we don’t seem to have much of an issue when our party lists for less powerful institutions have quotas) then let’s stop pretending that a reduction in female MPs is evidence of mentoring working and think again.<span> </span>Why don’t we try a formal programme of sponsorship, accessed via some sort of assessment programme for our very best female, male, black, minority ethnic and white candidates? And lets make sure that list is representative of the country!</p> <p>Because, can we really say, in all honesty, that those Lib Dem men, whom are now cabinet ministers, were only mentored? No, they were sponsored into parliament, backed by key influencers and given their break, their opportunity on the basis of their potential. <span> </span></p> <p>The point of formal sponsorship programmes, rather the informal ones that got our guys into the cabinet, is that they seek to overcome the ‘who you know’ that the privileged few benefit from. They provide links (on the basis of merit) with influential leaders within the organisation who, importantly, are required to deliver.</p> <p>The Campaign for Gender Balance suffers from having a very restricted scope, no doubt designed to stop any move towards quotas or all women shortlists.<span> There is not a year that has gone by that they haven't failed most if not all of their self set targets. </span>It is my view that, as constituted, they are doomed to failure as they have to ignore the evidence that the only thing that has ever got near 30% women into national parliaments is quotas either at party or constitutional level.</p> <p>Until we move away from this straight jacket we will never be taken seriously by the very people we need in positions of power that will make us not just look diverse but be diverse.</p> <p> </p> <div><hr size="1"> <div> <p><a name="_ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6041078734586577907&postID=4280295020428445218#_ftnref"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span>[1]</span></span></a> Yes, I know there is an opportunity to ask questions of the Report. <span> </span>The deadline for sending in questions for Federal Reports at Conference was 12 noon on Monday the 6th; a fact that I only remembered just before 12 midnight on Monday the 6th.</p> <p>Still, judging by the very, very, few people who tend to be in the conference hall for the Campaign for Gender Balance and Diversity Engagement Groups reports in previous years, I might just reach a wider audience with a blog!</p> <p class="MsoFootnoteText"> </p> </div> </div> <p> </p> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com/">Posted via email</a> from <a href="http://jochristiesmith.posterous.com/is-the-campaign-for-gender-balance-are-trying-0">jochristiesmith's posterous</a> </p> </div>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-30068820777425568362010-07-26T17:17:00.001+01:002010-07-26T17:17:34.503+01:00The Boris Bike*<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>I've just signed up as an annual member of the Barclays (yawn, yawn - my ex-employer is following me around) Cycle Hire Scheme. I think I need to use it for less than half an hour once a week for that to pay for itself.</p> <p>I'm quite excited about it.</p> <p>But, jolly though it will be (see how I can't help myself slipping into Borisisms), I am a little worried that its going to be stopping people from walking rather than getting them out of the cars.</p> <p>My plan is to use the BCHS (*as Leo Hickman <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/20/london-bike-hire-scheme-paris-velib">suggests</a>, we must come up with a nickname soon) from Warren Street Tube to Birkbeck College and back again. Not a massive journey but one that is irritatingly long when I'm late for a lecture or on the way home from one in the cold dark winter and just wanting to get home. I think it will shave 10-15 minutes of my return journey and frankly, during term time, that's a precious 10-15 minutes.</p> <p>This journey is too short for public transport so there'll be no reduction of congestion apart from on the pavements.</p> <p>I have to say I'm underwhelmed by the cycle highways - really you need to seperate the cyclists from the traffic to make people like me feel safe doing longer journeys on major trunk roads.</p> <p>And I'm impatient for whatever is going to happen utside of central London for local cycling, so that people no longer get in their cars to buy a couple of forgotten items at the supermarket etc, but get on a bike.</p> <p>If course, if cycling is to come to Crystal Palalce in any sustainable kind of way, I'm also looking forward to the cycle ski-lift type thing that will be required to wynh all us moderatley fit people back up the hill!</p> <p>*Could I ever sign up to a nick name such as the Boris Bike? I don't think so, but I'll have a couple of gos and see what I can come up with - perhaps experience will provide inspiration!</p> <p> </p> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com">Posted via email</a> from <a href="http://jochristiesmith.posterous.com/the-boris-bike">jochristiesmith's posterous</a> </p> </div>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-74991358182419864992010-05-22T10:50:00.001+01:002010-05-22T10:50:41.653+01:00Nothing to do with politics...<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>This has nothing to do with poltics and hat tip to <a href="http://www.alisonw.com/">Alison Wheeler</a> who put this up on her blog; this is just sooooo cute!</p> <p><object height="320" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=11712103&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=11712103&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="320" width="400"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/11712103">Meet the sloths</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2714304">Amphibian Avenger</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p></p> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com">Posted via web</a> from <a href="http://jochristiesmith.posterous.com/nothing-to-do-with-politics">jochristiesmith's posterous</a> </p> </div>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-27108173096098993692010-05-20T09:33:00.001+01:002010-05-20T09:33:12.605+01:00Diane Abbott, Diversity and the Labour leadership...<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>Well, as Evan Davies said on <a href="http://twitter.com/EvanHD/status/14343651823">his twitter feed</a> just before she came into the studio, Diane Abbott is always good value!</p> <p>And the race for the Labour leadership will definitely <em>look </em>more diverse now that<img src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-05-20/mfDiFBBIIkGoHJysqdHErceyGJFvpArjqgeJdHwkhcbdqbIyosoDqHhkzIjI/diane_abbott_office.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="400" height="267"/> t she has entered it. And she will indeed have an impact on the discussion and issues raised. And she has <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/19/diane-abbott-labour-leadership">'earned' </a>her place on the short-list, as Simon Wooley says in the Guardian this morning. But even he's not suggesting she's actually going to become the Labour leader.</p> <p>She's not going to win, everyone knows that and there's the rub. What will happen is that Labour will be able to claim that their leadership contest was diverse and so feel no need to actually deal with the real issues that underpin why there are not more women at the most senior level in politics.</p> <p>Blimey, I'm a party pooper, aren't I?</p> <p>I don't blame Diane Abbott, as a woman, prominent in a political party she is, like Harriet Harman and Yvette Cooper, one of the few that everybody looks to when searching for more diversity. 'Why aren't there more women standing?', goes up the call and the weight of being a representative woman falls on their shoulders yet again. The issue is always with women and ethnic minorities not coming through and putting themselves forward, isn't it?</p> <p>Except that those of us who have put any thought into this know there's <a href="http://www.leechalmers.com/2010/05/14/increasing-the-numbers-of-female-mps/">loads of reasons</a>, perfectly valid and perfectly changeable, if only there was establishment will, underpinning why more of us do not come forward.</p> <p>In the end, it's easier to blame the group who are under represented and no doubt fed up with this, Diane Abbott has thrown her hat in the ring. She probably hopes, no doubt amongst other things, to give lie to the line: women don't have power because they don't come forward.</p> <p>I say, we're doomed if we do, and doomed if we don't. As a woman, and I am one, I have absolute confidence of my ability to be short-listed as a candidate - in fact I have, loads of times, including making it through Liberal Democrat star chamber to make it onto the Bromley & Chislehurst by-election short-list. But getting onto the short-list means nothing; it only counts if you can and do win. My confidence in my ability to actually win is no longer as all conquering as it once was!</p> <p>In the Lib Dems we have rules about gender equality on short-lists, meaning selection committees scour the country looking for women to shortlist; and I have been asked numerous time to stand, to provide the gender balance required, so that the process to select the favoured candidate can go ahead. As the difficulty is with so many 'secondary' targets, people work to achieving <em>them</em>, not the actual desired outcome that the target has been put there to facilitate.</p> <p>So, having women and ethnic minorities make it to the short-list, whether they can win or not, only disguises the fact the only serious contenders for the Labour leadership are male and pale. </p> <p>And so, leads us to a situation where less is likely to be done about it than if there were none. There is no longer an outcry because there are no women in the Labour leadership contest. Job done.</p> <p>I wish Diane Abbott well in her campaign and feel sure that she will raise issues that might not have been raised if left to the men.</p> <p>And there is of course the role model function. DIane Abbott standing may well help with that; <a href="http://jochristiesmith.blogspot.com/2008/09/can-sarah-palin-be-good-for-women.html">I posed a question</a> on whether Sarah Palin's vice presidency was net good or bad for women a couple of years ago. And I'm still not sure; Dianne Abbott is not going to be as polarising as Sarah Palin (hopefully/obviously) but I can't help feeling that Obama's real strength as a role model is because he won the competition, not because he was a candidate on a short-list.</p> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com">Posted via web</a> from <a href="http://jochristiesmith.posterous.com/diane-abbott-diversity-and-the-labour-leaders">jochristiesmith's posterous</a> </p> </div>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-3536844341967398692010-05-14T16:42:00.002+01:002010-05-14T16:44:41.794+01:00Where I’m right and Boris is wrong…<div class="posterous_autopost"> <p>I have <a href="http://jochristiesmith.blogspot.com/2008/11/boris-deserts-east-london.html">always thought</a> the development of the new Routemaster Bus was a mad, bad waste of time and effort when London has so many more pressing concerns.</p> <p>And now it seems I’m not the only one; in a recent TFL survey creating the new Routemaster was deemed to be one of the least important projects to be undertaken in London. <span> </span>Only 18% of people thought it was a priority, as <a href="http://torytroll.blogspot.com/2010/05/little-enthusiasm-for-boris-johnsons.html">Adam points out</a>.</p> <p>Well, there’s a surprise!</p> <p>I wonder if Boris is getting bored of being Mayor yet?<span> </span>After all he’s no longer the most powerful Conservative in the country now; should we be expecting him to give up on London and try and get into a safe Tory seat back in Parliament instead?</p> <p>It wouldn’t surprise me.</p> <p><strong>Big Sigh</strong> I’m all cross now…grrrr….</p> <p> </p> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com/">Posted via web</a> from <a href="http://jochristiesmith.posterous.com/where-im-right-and-boris-is-wrong">jochristiesmith's posterous</a> </p> </div>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-24312664374713988372010-05-13T11:17:00.001+01:002010-05-13T11:17:36.502+01:00On sleep and the constitution…<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>Is this the first morning in four or five weeks that anybody, now involved in the government of this country, has woken up after an even vaguely decent nights sleep?</p> <p>I can’t help thinking that I’d rather everybody got a bit more sleep around these occasions.<span> </span><span> </span>I’m not the only one: only this March, in the Justice Select Committee oral evidence sessions even Lord Butler of Brockwell (and as he used to be Cabinet Secretary, he knows a thing or two about this) <a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmjust/396/10022402.htm">said</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>“I think the arrangements in Britain for the formation of a new government after an election are unwisely frantic because—I have seen this, and Lord Turnbull has seen it—if it is a new Prime Minister, when the new Prime Minister comes in, he or she comes in in circumstances where they have had a long campaign; they may have had to sit up most of the night waiting for their election results, they then may have to travel to London, and they arrive in a state of exhaustion. To then have to make decisions that are crucial for the country, including the appointments of your main lieutenants in the first few hours, and a lot of other important decisions, has never seemed to me to be particularly wise, nor does it seem to me to be necessary. It is part of a drama that we have got used to that everybody enjoys, and it is difficult to break.”</p> </blockquote> <p>And of course, it’s been worse this time as they’ve all had 5 days of discussion followed by yesterday’s dizzying day of action.</p> <p>I can’t help suspecting the reason it happens is the macho, testosterone driven political culture that we have; noting, of course, that women can be susceptible to that culture too.<span> </span>But not me!<span> </span>I love sleep. Fascinated by politics as I am on May 6<sup>th</sup> I left the all night vigil in front of the telly to my husband and the dog.</p> <p>Why is everybody the media and political activists so impatient to get to an answer that they’d rather have the sleep deprived elected such important decisions than alert ones? Is knowing one day later really going to make the difference in a year’s time?</p> <p>Uncertainty is a function of changing governments and I think the last week proves that the markets do have more patience that we, or the media, gave them credit for.<span> </span>If we planned to make the change over of government slightly less frenetic, say giving them a week to change or even two weeks I think it would be better for everyone. After all in the US they give 2 months for the administration to change and the world doesn’t fall in then, either.</p> <p>I am amazed and in awe of those who have negotiated this coalition government on such little sleep.<span> </span>I think they have managed rather better than the media, whose tempers have become frayed on occasion in the last week.<span> </span></p> <p>So, Sir Gus, when you finish the <a href="http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmjust/396/396we02.htm">Cabinet Manual</a> (well done for Draft Chapter 6, by the way), do you think you could add in an itsy bitsy convention around taking more time, so that everybody that needs to can get a bit more sleep?</p> <p>And Nick, as you are now Deputy Prime Minster with responsibility for Political Reform, could you add the changes to your to do list too?</p> <p>Just don’t stay up all night to get it done!</p> <p> </p> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com">Posted via web</a> from <a href="http://jochristiesmith.posterous.com/on-sleep-and-the-constitution">jochristiesmith's posterous</a> </p> </div>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-80660392944391899912010-05-12T12:09:00.004+01:002010-05-12T12:21:43.093+01:00Our Lib Dem Democratic Deficit<div class="posterous_autopost">I am on the whole delighted today; amazed that a man, whom I knew had something good going for him from the moment I met him, that I drove about for a day in the back of my car during his party leadership campaign, is now Deputy Prime Minster.<span> </span>I suspect both car and driver have improved in quality somewhat!<span> </span>Well done, Nick!<span> </span>Hooray! <p>However, there is one big fly in the ointment for me and that is what looks to be like the lack of women in this new coalition government.<span> </span>An historic, new type of government and it’s still white, middle class men taking almost every plum job.<span> </span>The exception, as just announced is Theresa May, who seems to have two jobs Home Secretary and Women and Equalities. That to me, suggests that she’s the going to be the only female cabinet minster; let’s hope I’m wrong.</p> <p>Oh dear!</p> <p>Of course, you can’t put many more women into the Cabinet if you don’t have enough female MPs in the first place.</p> <p>The number of Conservative female MPs has gone up but the number of Labour and Lib Dem female MPs has gone down.<span> </span>The only new female Liberal Democrat MP that we have is the wonderful Tessa Munt.<span> </span>However, Tessa has been standing for election for many, many years, starting off in the Ipswich by-election in 2001.<span> </span>So, it has to be said that despite the very best efforts of the Campaign for Gender Balance and Women Liberal Democrats that we have made no progress, in terms of outcomes in getting new women into parliament.<span> </span></p> <p>And you can’t get more women into parliament if you don’t have enough female PPCs in the first place.<span> </span>We didn’t even manage to get more women standing as PPCs: only 22% in 2010, compared to 23% in 2005.</p> <p>Of course, the issues in why we don’t have more women as PPCs are structural – politics does not fit with the reality of many women’s lives, let alone that the whole thing seems to be a testosterone fuelled slanging match.<span> </span>Plus, the way to progress through the Liberal Democrats and get to the point that you can stand in a serious seat, also discourages many other potential female PPCs.<span> </span>We make a difficult journey, even more difficult!</p> <p>I know that all PPCs make sacrifices and compromises; but I rather suspect that there are more compromises to be made by women, especially those with young families.<span> </span>Their male counterparts don’t have it easy, just easier.</p> <p>This is a real shame as our policies that impact women are really good and we have made definite progress there.</p> <p>As Ceri Goddard from the Fawcett Society said in the Guardian at the end of April:</p> <p>"They have the most radical proposals of all the parties on issues such as equal pay audits and parental leave, but they haven't acknowledged the huge democratic deficit – their radicalism doesn't extend to challenging the status quo."</p> <p>Nick Clegg has given us another election to sort it out; I hope that we don’t need another election I hope we get to grips with the fact that ‘encouragement’ and ‘training’ is not going to change the game and am sure that we will need to be far more radical in addressing this problem than we have ever been so far!</p> <p> </p> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com/">Posted via web</a> from <a href="http://jochristiesmith.posterous.com/18504313">jochristiesmith's posterous</a> </p> </div>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-82803341730955928962010-05-10T10:35:00.001+01:002010-05-10T10:35:51.869+01:00Is this really a once in a generation opportunity?<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>It's very hard for us LIb Dems and those who are desperate, let's face it, for full scale political reform to feel that, as it has been our first chance to use our position as a pivot party in 34 years that it will be our <em>last chance</em> to use our position as a pivot party for the next 24 years. The instinct therefore is to refuse to go into a coalition unless we get a promise of a referendum; unless we finally get what we were supposed to have got 13 years ago, if only Labour hadn't reneged on the deal.</p> <p>Of course, that would be the best outcome. But it's a very hard ask of the Tory negotiating team and we should be looking to see what package of measures could still halt this stitch up between Labour and the Conservative in its track. It may be that one hung parliament isn't enough but two might be.</p> <p>The eminent constitutionalist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Butler_%28academic%29">David Butler</a> has oft suggested that transformational voting reform could take two hung parliaments to achieve, two consecutive hung parliaments. </p> <p>Although we haven't had a hung parliament for a long time, that may not be the case in the future.</p> <p>Over the last 50 years there has been a consistent decline in people voting for either Labour and Conservative, from 97% in 1951 culminating with less that two thirds of voters in the 2010 election. This means that hung parliaments are for more likely in the future.</p> <p>Of course, the problem is that where the Prime Minister can, within a few parameters, can hold a General Election at a time of their choosing they will of course try and pick the point where a hung parliament is least likely.</p> <p>But what would happen if the Conservatives agreed to fixed term parliaments? Well, the PM would no longer be able to manage the timing in their favour and hung parliaments would, on top of the psephological changes already working in favour of hung parliaments, again become more frequent.</p> <p>The dynamics of election calling tactics would be changed forever.</p> <p>I think we should go for as much as we can get; I think we need more that just fixed term parliaments but I also think that political reform that provides an environment to create that second hung parliament leading to electoral reform is quite a prize and we should be wary of walking away from it.</p> <p>I worry that all those who want electoral reform seem to be equating the Liberal Democrats raison d'etre with voting reform; while important we are not a one policy party. It is unlikely however, that without a healthy vibrant Liberal Democrats that we will ever get voting reform as Labour's commitment to it comes and goes in line with their proximity to power. So, do not make the Liberal Democrats succeed or fall on this one negotiation and this one election.</p> <p>A coalition with the Tories, would allow us to reign in the worst excesses of conservatism, in all sorts of policy areas including political reform and if set up for a relatively long period help create the economic stability that this country needs. Making a coalition work, on Britain's journey towards proportional representation, is as important as the concessions that we win from that coalition.</p> <p>Coalition governments are risky in many other ways for support parties, whether or not their in it for constitutional reform, but could bring enormous benefits to the people of the United Kingdom; I'm not normally the type to be patient but I think that all of us who want a proportional voting system should look to the long game and not throw out the baby with the bathwater.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com">Posted via web</a> from <a href="http://jochristiesmith.posterous.com/is-this-really-a-once-in-a-generation-opportu">jochristiesmith's posterous</a> </p> </div>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-41388902680231891732010-05-09T17:19:00.001+01:002010-05-09T17:19:55.012+01:00Helping the Tories deliver...<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>If Benedict Brogan's <a href="http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/benedictbrogan/100038861/tory-mps-have-been-offered-a-free-vote-on-a-pr-referendum/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter">report </a>on the offer to Tory MPs of a free vote in parliament on an Electoral Reform referendum is true then that is a neat piece of work done by the joint negotiation teams.</p> <p>Not only does the Lib Dem team have to ensure that the Liberal Democrats get what they want in return for a formal coalition with the Conservatives (I might have to stop calling them the Tories, I fear, as to me at least, it's a pejorative term) but they have to do as much as they can to help the Conservatives deliver a deal that is palatable to their own party.</p> <p>At first glance, the parliamentary maths suggests that this is a bit of a pig in a poke, as Tories and <a href="http://www.tomharris.org.uk/">pro FPTP Labour MPs</a> could vote down any legislation to run a referendum but that ignores the payroll vote. </p> <p>This of course would only work for the LIb Dems if Cameron made government jobs dependant on support for a referendum - allowing those Tory MPs who feel <em>sooo</em> strongly about PR to follow their conscience whilst allowing other Tory MPs to follow their career.</p> <p>It would also give groups such a <a href="http://www.power2010.org.uk/">Power2010</a> to ramp up the campaign and ensure a national conversation. They already have the momentum as I don't see any keep FPTP demonstrations going on!</p> <p> </p> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com">Posted via web</a> from <a href="http://jochristiesmith.posterous.com/helping-the-tories-deliver">jochristiesmith's posterous</a> </p> </div>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-49226008506008965602010-04-30T18:27:00.001+01:002010-04-30T18:27:20.278+01:00Don't let anybody tell you thing can't be different...<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><object height="300" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YuwcWB6PieA&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" /></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></param><embed allowfullscreen="true" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YuwcWB6PieA&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="300" width="500"></embed></object></p> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com">Posted via web</a> from <a href="http://jochristiesmith.posterous.com/dont-let-anybody-tell-you-thing-cant-be-diffe">jochristiesmith's posterous</a> </p> </div>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-86564677857293226082010-04-29T18:08:00.001+01:002010-04-29T18:08:06.231+01:00The path to a people's parliament<div class='posterous_autopost'><p>Just over two weeks ago, I sat in the <a href="http://www.lbc.co.uk/petrie-hosken-3536" target="_blank">LBC 97.3</a> studios in Leicester Square being told by the very jolly <a href="http://www.torybear.com/" target="_blank">Tory Bear</a> that the Lib Dems were irrelevant! Well, not so irrelevant now, are they Mr Bear?!!</p> <p>That was at the height of Tory complacency about the election, the night before the first debate after which it became clear to everyone that Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems if given a fair hearing are a force to be reckoned with.</p> <p>There is so much excitement about the new politics. There is, at the moment a feeling that everything could all be about to change, that the two party duopoly has gone for good.</p> <p>Of course, the desire for a more representative parliament delivered through a proportional voting system isn't the sole preserve of Liberal Democrats; there are Labour, Green and even a few Tory supporters that believe in it. But the path to such a people's parliament will be a long one and we will <em>all </em>have to adapt the way we do politics to it.</p> <p>Balanced parliament means political parties have work together; so we are going to have to set aside our tribal loyalties, learn to breath without our nose pegs and be prepared to talk to anybody. Yes, even Tories perhaps or maybe even Gordon Brown (breathe 1, 3, 3 ,4, breathe, 1,2,3,4..scary thought, I know)</p> <p>Balanced parliaments and coalitions are about creating outcomes, not throwing your toys out of the pram because you can't bear the idea of your political enemies benefiting in any way.</p> <p>So, allow Nick, who has done us all so proud in the last few weeks to do his stuff. Don't tell him now what he can and can't do a deal with; don't tell him who he should and shouldn't talk to. </p> <p>And stop going on about the <a href="http://www.markpack.org.uk/the-triple-lock-liberal-democrats-and-deals-with-other-parties/">triple lock</a>! Crikey, I like the fact that the Liberal Democrats are a democratic party as much as the next Lib Dem but it is <em>only a fall back position</em>. For it to be invoked there would have to be a massive split in the parliamentary party and I think<em> it's highly unlikely that there will be</em> a split in the parliamentary party around who to talk to in the event of a parliament with no overall majority.</p> <p>Any political geek who thinks she or he's going to have a direct influence on any coalition agreements is, well, over-egging their part in the pudding.</p> <p>Every leader has to take his (or hopefully one day, her) party with them when negotiating with other parties. The triple lock is just a formalisation of what all three of the Leaders will have to do. Neither Cameron or Brown would be able to get very far without the support of their parliamentary party.</p> <p>After all, have you not noticed that Nick has already set out what the terms of negotiation will be via his four priorities?</p> <p>He's set out the terms of any negotiations and set the red line which cannot be crossed of electoral reform as his backstop. </p> <p>Not one of us knows what the electoral map and mathematics are going to look like come May 7th, so stop <a href="http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-gordon-must-resign-if-he-loses-his-majority-19062.html" target="_blank">speculating</a> and let Nick get on with what he is doing brilliantly: holding his and the party's nerve for another week!</p> <p>Go Nick!!</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://posterous.com">Posted via web</a> from <a href="http://jochristiesmith.posterous.com/the-path-to-a-peoples-parliament">jochristiesmith's posterous</a> </p> </div>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-10450586574672100092010-04-20T13:16:00.002+01:002010-04-20T13:19:05.417+01:00Making your mind up!Oh, this is fab! Well done the team at <a href="http://www.totalpolitics.com/">Total Politics</a> for putting this together!<br /><br /><br /><object height="405" width="660"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q7OGUAQSYQ4&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q7OGUAQSYQ4&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="405" width="660"></embed></object>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-67756966141962789022010-04-19T11:07:00.002+01:002010-04-19T11:10:22.726+01:00Life with the LIb Dems in Government<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Pp_HTYVIfTU&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Pp_HTYVIfTU&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="640"></embed></object><br /><br />Liberalism is at root an optimistic philosophy, free from the fear that Conservatism seeks to propagate.Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-26947051214236615352010-04-14T10:42:00.003+01:002010-04-14T10:47:01.323+01:00It's Lib Dem Manifesto Day and <a href="http://www.libdems.org.uk/our_manifesto.aspx">here</a> it is!
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<br /><embed height="334" align="middle" width="682" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="false" allowscriptaccess="always" name="LibDem1v1" bgcolor="#ffffff" quality="high" src="http://video.libdems.org.uk/2010manifesto/player/LibDem1v1.swf">
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<br />OK, the width of the video choice bit doesn't fit my template but hey, I should understand how to change the code so that it does!
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<br />Obviously I'm all for our 4 key priorities but I lurve the manifesto page on the website, I'm off to find out how to download the video onto my iPhone!
<br />Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-37635159225586816352010-04-10T11:19:00.004+01:002010-04-10T11:31:29.787+01:00Political WivesWhat a blinder! <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriam_Gonz%C3%A1lez_Dur%C3%A1ntez">Miriam Gonzales <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Durantez</span></a> is not giving up her very <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">important</span> post at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">DLA</span> Piper to follow her husband around on the campaign trail; this is great news as it breaks the convention that if you are a woman married to a politician, that is your primary identity and everything else you do comes second<br /><br />Even <a href="http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/politics/928567-Do-the-leaders-wives-effect-how-you-will-vote?pg=4">Mumsnet thinks it's great that Miriam has drawn the line</a> at weekend campaigning only.<br /><br />So, in insisting that she's not to be an electoral asset, she in fact becomes an electoral asset. One where principles and political strategy helpfully complement each other!Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-73226142141146515012009-12-21T12:39:00.003+00:002009-12-21T12:46:38.174+00:00Me on Sky NewsI was back doing my regular slot on Sky News last week - first time in ages but then doing a Masters at Law, in the evening, whilst working full time does rather get in the way of everything, including blogging!<br /><br /><object height="280" width="497"><param name="movie" value="http://news.sky.com/sky-news/app/flash/SkyvideoWrapper.swf?playerType=embedded&type=sky_prod_v7&videoSourceID=2137830&flashVideoUrl=/feeds/skynews/latest/flash/ACT-BB-WE-MOVERS-161209.flv"><param name="allowFullSceen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://news.sky.com/sky-news/app/flash/SkyvideoWrapper.swf?playerType=embedded&type=sky_prod_v7&videoSourceID=2137830&flashVideoUrl=/feeds/skynews/latest/flash/ACT-BB-WE-MOVERS-161209.flv" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="280" width="497"></embed></object>Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-74724578287482680542009-12-18T10:13:00.004+00:002009-12-18T10:25:28.523+00:00Parliament finally realises that women with young children work there too!After 20 years of campaigning, it seems that parliament has finally been persuaded that the shame of having a shooting gallery but no childcare facility is its shame!<br /><br />40 places in a <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mother-of-all-parliaments-to-open-first-nursery-1841983.html">parliamentary nursery</a> doesn't seem alot to me, but it is a start and hopefully will make it easier for parents with young children, and particularly their mothers, to take a more proportionate part in our democracy and government.<br /><br />It's a small step but an important step in the change of culture that we so desperately need in the practice of our politics. Hooray for Speaker Bercow and all the campaigners!Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-41673536498463664532009-12-16T08:48:00.003+00:002009-12-16T08:59:30.308+00:00ASA uphold complaint against airbrushing! Hooray!<a href="http://www.joswinson.org.uk/">Jo Swinson</a> has been gracing radio and TV in the past 24 hours as the Advertising Standards Authority has upheld the large number of complaints about the <a href="http://www.libdems.org.uk/latest_news_detail.aspx?title=ASA_bans_%E2%80%98misleading%E2%80%99_Twiggy_advert_says_Swinson_&pPK=2c6d4f57-6b9d-4775-85f0-8aa6669ca9d2">Twiggy advert.</a><br /><br />This is great news - there is no reason why we should have women's and young girls body image dictated by large multinational corporations. Twiggy looks great without retouching, as do many, many older women.<br /><br />Plus, has anybody noticed that very few women <span style="font-style: italic;">don't</span> die there hair now when they start to go grey. I think grey hair looks great on women! Why are women not allowed to be old and beautiful any more?<br /><br />So, if you want to know more about the <a href="http://wearerealwomen.wordpress.com/">campaign for real women</a> the take a look at the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=145069881802&ref=ts">facebook group</a> for a start!Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6041078734586577907.post-38930573615565407722009-09-19T14:40:00.000+01:002009-09-19T14:40:00.256+01:00Real Women and Real Cultural ChangeI'm down in Bournemouth for the conference and have just spent the morning perfecting a speech in the Real Women Policy Debate this afternoon.
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<br />It looks like it's going to be a debate over subscribed with speakers and there's at least 3 amendments and a separate vote!
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<br />Here are links to the <a href="http://www.realwomen.org.uk/">policy paper</a> itself and <a href="http://www.libdems.org.uk/www.libdems.org.uk/conference/conference-papers.html">conference extra </a>which has the amendment 2 to I speaking against.
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<br />I'm definitely in favour of the motion, and hoping to speak against Amendment 2 in particular - so here is my speech, just in case I don't get to give it!
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<br /> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 2008"> <meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 2008"> <link rel="File-List" href="file://localhost/Users/johannachristie-smith/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_filelist.xml"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:revision>0</o:Revision> <o:totaltime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:pages>1</o:Pages> <o:words>541</o:Words> <o:characters>3084</o:Characters> <o:company>Christie's Management Solutions Ltd</o:Company> <o:lines>25</o:Lines> <o:paragraphs>6</o:Paragraphs> <o:characterswithspaces>3787</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; 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mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;"></span></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;">Friends,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;">I am delighted to support this innovative and practical policy paper, because it re affirms our commitment to<span style=""> </span>freedom, choice and true liberal values.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;">But Amendment Two would undermine that commitment.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">If we pass this amendment, we’ll be saying :<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">‘We see there’s a problem with media images, body image and eating disorders but we don’t want to do anything about it, except to cross our fingers and hope that the problem will go away all by itself’.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">What sort of policy is that?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Let’s be clear: images of women are manipulated in advertising in order to make more sales and revenue for large corporations.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Where that harms people, liberals must take positive action.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -34.7pt;"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Time and time again over the past decade, research has shown that from as early as age 5 young girls feel under pressure to be slim and have a perfect body. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -34.7pt;"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -34.7pt;"><span style="font-size:14pt;">The publication </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;">‘<b style="">Under ten and Under Pressure’</b> , put out by the </span><span style="font-size:14pt;">Girl Guides Association – that bastion of radical feminism! - </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;">found that <strong>‘</strong><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">Girls Between Seven and Ten Believe being Slim and Pretty Makes you Clever, Happy and Popular’ <o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -34.7pt;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;font-size:14pt;" lang="EN-US" ><o:p> </o:p></span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -34.7pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;">In research by <b style="">Field et al in 1999,</b> nearly 2 in 3 of 500 girls<span style=""> </span>aged between 9 and 17 agreed with the statement “pictures of women in magazines influence what you think is the perfect shape” <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -34.7pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -34.7pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;">And 1 in 2 of the girls agreed that “Pictures of women in magazines make you want to lose weight.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -34.7pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -34.7pt;"><span style="font-size:14pt;">The policy paper addresses this harm in a thoroughly liberal way, by providing consumers with information on how much images have been digitally manipulated; so that people can know how real or fake they are. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">We’ve supported this kind of consumer empowerment before.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">To help mitigate the harm of climate change we have laws requiring manufacturers to provide us with information about how energy efficient their fridges are. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Yes, the issues are complicated but now there is a simple set of categories.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">So we are all empowered to make an informed choice about energy efficiency.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Yes, the process of airbrushing may also be complex.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Yet, it is entirely possible to come up with some useful guidelines.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Commonsense would ensure that what was being regulated was the manipulation of body images, not the benign change of lighting or removal of shadows.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">And, just as the labelling of fridges has changed the behaviour of fridge manufacturers, so the labelling of digitally manipulated images will change the behaviour of advertisers.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">What we’re talking about here is cultural change ; changing behaviours.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;">One reason digital manipulation works is that we don’t always know when it's been done. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;">If we make sure that advertisers are open and honest about it, </span><span style="font-size:14pt;">what company will want to admit that the only way it can sell it’s products is by using fake pictures?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">But if you don’t require advertisers to provide the information in the first place, you don’t get the cultural change we need.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">They will have no incentive to change.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">As advertising drives the profitability of magazines, newspapers and television, where they go, editorial will follow.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">We didn’t cross our fingers and hope for cultural change when it came to energy efficiency of fridges, why should we do it about the well-being and self-esteem of young women and girls?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Conference, this is a liberal approach to achieving cultural change!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Yes, if a five year old is reading Cosmo then she will see digitally manipulated photos.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">but if her parents choose to protect her, they will know where the safe places are.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">So, Cosmo Girl, aimed directly at the teen market should help young women feel good about themselves; they shouldn’t decide they’re fat at the age of 12!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Conference, let’s make a real difference to young girls and women’s lives:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14pt;">Support the motion and reject amendment two. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->
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<br />Jo Christie-Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02971979793175012868noreply@blogger.com2