International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8^th March each year around the world and this week I have been fortunate enough to attend a couple of events where women were celebrated, shared their experiences and discussed the challenges faced more by women, typically.

History of International Women’s Day

Its origins are in socialist movement; The Socialist Party of America organised a Women’s Day in New York City on 28 February 1909.

The following year, there was an International Conference of Socialist Women in Copenhagen on 26-27 August 1910.  This was the second such conference, the first having been formed in Stuttgart in 1907.  There was already an International Socialist Conference.  Delegates from across the world gathered to discuss topics such as social legislation, education and public health as well as women’s suffrage.  Reportedly, a debate arose when the English delegates were pitted against the German and other left delegates.  The former favoured backing the “bourgeois” feminists and the latter were more in favour of a grassroots approach which prevailed.  A decision was made to protest women’s suffrage in the model of the international worker’s event known as May Day and thus International Women’s Day was founded.

In 2011, when it was the 100^th anniversary, the US administration published a report on the status of women in the USA.  (Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economic Well-Being) and the president at the time, Barack Obama, declared March to be Women’s History Month.  This has prevailed in the US, but in the UK only seems to have been documented as being celebrated in 2011 and 2012.

International Women’s Day has themes annually decided by the UN and this year the theme is Each for Equal; helping to create a gender equal world by celebrating women’s achievements, improving visibility and calling out inequality.

A number of missions have been identified including:

• Champion women forging tech innovation;
• Applaud equality for women athletes;
• Forge inclusive workplaces as women thrive;
• Support women to earn on their own terms;
• Empower women through health education;
• Increase visibility for women creatives.

Equality and Progress in Practice – Women in Law

On Thursday evening I attended an event hosted by the Lancashire branch of CILEx (Chartered Institute of Legal Executives).

Our first speaker was their current CEO, Linda Ford.  Her own route into work was one of combining earning with learning.  She successfully qualified alongside working and becoming a parent.  Her varied career has had constants in setting standards and promoting reform and this made her an ideal candidate to lead this professional body.  The route to qualifying as a Legal Executive is more flexible than that of a Solicitor and opens the door to more people with more diverse circumstances.  My own CILEx journey began in 2002, but my qualifications from that time are still relevant and I find myself able to resume studies, almost twenty years on.

The second speaker was Dana Denis-Smith, former international journalist.  Her interest in law developed as she read legal publications that her barrister husband had and she decided to make the change, train in law and secure a training contract in a top firm in the city.

She trained whilst working and qualified in employment law practice.  Her entrepreneurial instinct led her to next set up a political risk consultancy business, then whilst studying for  ‘a mini MBA’ in India became inspired by the outsourcing of professional work.  She launched and became the CEO of Obelisk in 2010 to link up professional lawyers with work outside of the standard office model.  This attitude to flexible working is not commonplace in law, but a vital lifeline to professional women balancing work and life.

Her love of knowledge and law and strong feminist values all combined with the next project: The First 100 Years.  Originating in 2014, this is a history project seeking to chart the history and visibility of women in the law.  The name of the project stems from the Sex Disqualification Removal Act 1919 that finally allowed women to hold professional positions.

Over the last few years, she has dedicated hours of her time to research and collaboration and the results include a book, hours of inspirational clips on YouTube where women in the law share their stories, a free exhibition that moves around the world and artwork in the Supreme Court.

I wholeheartedly recommend having a look yourself: https://first100years.org.uk/

Equality and Progress in Practice – Women in Politics

This weekend I attended a Local Government training day.  The afternoon panel was dedicated to discussing how to attract more women to local government.

I think it is fair to suggest that the Labour Party do demonstrate commitment to equality of representation.  There are currently 220 elected female MPs out of a House total of 650; that is 34%.

104 of those women are Labour Party MPs – this is 47%.  When you consider the majority that the Conservative Party currently hold, this statistic alone shows there is going to be a big difference between representation.  Labour have 220 MPs altogether, so 51% of the are women.  By contrast, the Conservative Party have 87/365, or 24%.

The wonderful women this weekend were Cllr Arooj Shah of Oldham, Cllr Adele New of Trafford and Dr Erica Lewis, Lancashire County Council Leader.

Our panel and the capable chair and regional director Anna Hutchinson were generous in sharing their experiences and inviting attendees to do the same.  It was delightful to hear about women not only forging ahead, but seeking to bring others with them. 

During comment, Cllr Gina Lewis made an excellent point about the language used against women; they are seen as bolshy or aggressive rather than firm or assertive.  Cllr Kate Walsh attended the event with her young son, a babe in arms.  He also attends meetings with her as she balances serving her constituents with serving him his dinner on draught.  She reported that breastfeeding in meetings had attracted negative comments, but this does not deter her, and rightly so. Rather she uses her experience and position to inspire and educate.

The common threads I heard from all speakers were that the decision to put ones self forward for local government involves a combination of willingness to take the risk as well as the ‘can do’ confidence, and a need for an excellent support network who understand the sacrfices you sometimes have to make.

I have been inspired greatly this week and hope to focus more on inspirational women in law and politics throughout the month of March!

Painting a Picture of a Canvass

Why do we canvass?

Canvassing is a vital way to identify voters who support us, or may support our party’s candidate in local and general elections, and then encourage them to actually come out and put their cross in the box.

Canvassing also has the added benefit of offering face to face interaction with constituents which helps to spread our message and manifesto as well as finding out what matters to them.

Where do we canvass?

Canvassing is done by ward.  Here in Southport we have 7 different wards: Ainsdale; Birkdale; Cambridge; Dukes; Kew; Meols; Norwood.

Ahead of the canvassing session, the road group is decided using the programme that the data is stored on.

We want to get as much data from across each ward as possible!

Who do we canvass?

Data from the electoral roll tells us about which voters are at which address.  If we have previously canvassed them, then their stated voting intentions will also be listed.  Some people are happy to tell you their political preferences by party, others will only tell you whether they are for or against and some prefer not to say or do not vote.

There are often multiple voters at each address, so where possible we get the information for all the voters but this depends on who answers and whether politics is discussed.

How do we canvass?

The group has a board runner who has the list of houses and voters.  The board runner will direct each canvasser to each house, equipping them with the name of the resident.  Often, they will note who was sent where to make it easier when multiple people come back with data.

The canvasser will go to the house or flat specified, knock or ring and wait to see if anybody is in.  If there is no answer, we leave an “out card” so the occupants know we have called and know who the candidate is and when the next election is.

If the occupant answers, the canvasser will establish they have the right person, introduce themselves and ask some simple questions about their voting intentions and history nationally as well as locally.  Sometimes, there are further questions and sometimes canvassees will happily (or not so happily) raise issues.

Once the conversation is finished, the canvasser thanks the resident for their time and finds the board runner, who will have progressed along the road.  The canvasser can tell the board runner the data which they record and then send the canvasser on to the next home.

How long do we canvass?

There are slight variations, but generally a canvass lasts about 90 minutes.  This is long enough to get into the swing of things, but not so long that people get too tired/hot/cold/hungry.

When do we canvass?

Canvass times and days can depend on the ward in question and whether there is a campaign. 

In my town, four of our wards have a regular canvass at the weekend currently and will have a week day canvass too.  As the election draws closer there will be even more!

Between campaigns, we get data from across the whole town.

Who can canvass?

We would always say ANYONE can canvass.  However, you may have a physical or mental health reason that puts you off.  It is possible to do a short canvass, or have a buddy or consider telephone canvassing.

If the face to face really isn’t for you then you could think about running a board.  Buddies can be arranged for this too. 

It is really straightforward, and any new canvassers are paired up with more experienced canvassers so they can observe, learn and practice with the support of another person!

You don’t have to canvass in just your own ward, or even just your town.  All canvassing relies on people power and you are always going to be welcomed.

Do you want to canvass?

Let me know and I will help!

An introduction

“I have reached a point in my life where I have decided that I have to take more action.  I have always endeavoured to develop personally and professionally and I now have the skills and confidence to be able to take more of a stand to champion what is right, challenge what is wrong and help others to do the same.

I want to work in line with Labour Party values of striving for a better and fairer society, safety and accessibility to healthcare for all as well as accessible housing in a sustainable environment.  I believe that access to education of academic and life skills can lead to fair employment, independence and a healthy economy that we can all contribute to.

I want to challenge divisiveness, injustice and exclusion and provide a voice to members of our community who feel disillusioned or side-lined.

I believe my experiences, both professionally and personally, combined with my communication skills and capability make me an excellent candidate for the role of a councillor in Sefton.”

This is my statement. It is the statement I considered and drafted in support of my application last Summer to stand to be a councillor in the local elections that are due to take place on May 7th 2020.

I was invited to an interview and delighted when I passed this and made the list of candidates for consideration across the borough.

I was very pleased to be shortlisted by my home ward, Kew. I live in Kew, and I was even born here at the Christiana Hartley Maternity Hospital. Christiana Hartley herself was a resident of Southport for much of her life, having moved here as a child.

Christiana Hartley was an inspirational philanthropist and campaigner, and even Southport’s first female Mayor. I like to think she would be pleased to have seen that when Southport elected its first two Labour councillors since the formation of Sefton in 1974, they were both women!

I am inspired by strong women in the past, our party and my own family and if I am elected in May I will use this inspiration, and support and be the best councillor I can be.

In Kew Ward we already have two marvellous councillors; Janis Blackburne and Sean Halsall. They have been kind enough to let me shadow them and I have campaigned for and with both of them so I have an idea of what the role entails, and I am keen to join them and strengthen the voice of our residents even further.

Traditionally, there is around a six month run from selection to election, but this year has been a little different due to the General Election in December 2019, so we have a little less time this year. However, we do have the same drive and determination; maybe even more.

My campaign for election officially launches on Sunday 23rd February 2020 – Let the hard work begin!