Women in politics

[BillGreene]

"The Great Local Vote Swindle" – Electoral Reform Society’s report on the 2006 English local elections is now available online (www.electoral-reform.org.uk).
One of the key findings was that there remains a massive disparity in the ratio of women elected to men.
What can be done to get more women elected? Is it the various parties fault, or is it the image that politics has?

[SPUGGIE J]

Ban men! Maybe people still think politics is safer in mens hands (I aint one of them) and therefore vote that way. More women should be standing based on merit and there own capabilities not because it is PC to do so. Dosnt matter at what level they are at they can get involved. I wonder how much them having families stop women considering politics.

[Gayle]

12 out of Hyndburn's 35 councillors is a woman - so a third.

It's a toughie because the one thing that I'm totally opposed to is women only candidate lists - just as I'm opposed to ethnic minority only lists and any other non-open selection lists.

[shakermaker]

You're right there Spug! Ban all of us!
Women are the way forward.
There'd be no more wars, there'd be Anne Summers parties where Ms President of USA & Ms President of Iraq laugh at male genitalia.
As for ending current war - stick a load of preggers women on the front line - it's got to be louder than 50 armoured tanks & lord knows it'd be scarier.

[cashman]

THATCHER.......

[SPUGGIE J]

Originally Posted by cashman

THATCHER.......

Well an example of what they can do.

[shillelagh]

I agree with gayle - it should be all on merit for the person being selected to be a local councillor or mp or mep not on gender, ethnicity etc.

Have you ever wondered though why there isnt many women councillors? Maybe because theyre bringing kids up etc and they dont have the time. A lot of women find if they are working full time and have kids they want to spend time with their kids especially when they are younger. The ones who are councillors you will find more often than not that their kids are older or they dont have any kids, or if their kids are younger they do have a good backup system at home - husband or partner, grandparents good babysitters because of the time they have to spend doing council business. I know that because my sister was a councillor and she was out near enough every night at meetings for the council and it was hard work for her and her family.

[jaysay]

I agree with other people on this subject, people should be picted on mertit, I actually think that men are by nature more interested in politics than women, I have 2 Daughters a Granddaughter and a Girlfiend and no of them give a monkies about politics, in fact its never mentioned in my home when they are around. I have had the same Girlfriend for 17 years and I still dont know which party she votes for, in fact I think she probably votes for the person not the party, mind you she lives in Wigan Metro so their aint a lot of choise there. I actually think that Hyndburn does not do to badly as far as women candidates go, they seem to be elected on a regular basis irrespective of which party they represent, far more than my early years in politics. When I first got involved over 40 years ago there was only one woman councillor out of fifteen on the old Oswaldtwistle UDC and that was a doctors wife Mrs Pittarde, as for the other UDCs Im not sure, but the involement of women was very sparse to say the least. I think that getting more young people interested in politics at all levels is more essential for the future, as they are the future. In my youth people of my age seemed more interested in politics, With the Young tories and young socialist movements being very active in this area, there were over 70 members of Ossy Y.CS. IN 1964 alone, but theres very little interest today. Maybe its the Fault of the so called senior politicians at national level of all parties that is turning young people away, who knows only time will tell

[Gayle]

I think politics should be taught in schools (I've probably said this way too many times now and am getting boring about it). But I don't mean in the big, national picture way, but how politics impacts on everyone's life. People don't think politics is anything to do with them but tell them that it's about which schools are doing well, how the roads are resurfaced and when the new shopping centre will be built and it all becomes relevant. If they knew this from an earlier age it wouldn't be such a huge thing to pay attention come election time. Trouble is finding someone who could teach it without being biaised.

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Gayle

I think politics should be taught in schools (I've probably said this way too many times now and am getting boring about it). But I don't mean in the big, national picture way, but how politics impacts on everyone's life. People don't think politics is anything to do with them but tell them that it's about which schools are doing well, how the roads are resurfaced and when the new shopping centre will be built and it all becomes relevant. If they knew this from an earlier age it wouldn't be such a huge thing to pay attention come election time. Trouble is finding someone who could teach it without being biaised.

Totaly agree. Politics IS important wether you have extream left/right views or not, it's still very important and effects lots of things in your life.
When I mention that I study politics at college to anyone, I get moans and groans and questions such as 'How do you manage it? It must be so boring!, I can't stand politics'. Now I don't know exactly what they think we do, but how can learning about how you can change your own future be boring?

I think people take our stable economy and general center-groundness of the parties for granted. If we had extream manifestos, there would be a lot more people wanting to vote/get involved.


ps. I would just like to say that before I started politics at college (I was 17 when I started that subject) I didn't even know what left and right wing was, although I did know a bit about what some of the parties stood for. It is pretty obvious which political party the teachers of politics we have had support, and neither of them have managed to influence me through bias

[Busman747]

Originally Posted by Gayle

12 out of Hyndburn's 35 councillors is a woman - so a third.

It's a toughie because the one thing that I'm totally opposed to is women only candidate lists - just as I'm opposed to ethnic minority only lists and any other non-open selection lists.

O.M.G. I am shocked Gayle, your views on this are exactly the same as mine, I'm going for a lie-down!

[Gayle]

Thank you Busman - see I can be quite reasonable when pushed!

May be the problem is not with the candidates but with the voters. As I was campaigning I started to be able to tell instantly whether people voted or not. There were a lot of people who clearly couldn't be bothered and without generalising too much they were usually under 25, dressed in vest and tracksuit and had a fag in their hand. Amongst the older ones there is even still a bit of 'my husband' deals with all that stuff, kind of mentality around. I was also told 'nothing to do with me' and 'you're all as bad as each other' quite a few times.

Something needs to be done and it doesn't need some posh sounding toff telling us that he wants to engage with younger people.

[SPUGGIE J]

How many of the cant be bothered brigade etc complain when those elected do not do or follow something they want? I believe if you dont vote dont complain!!! There is an apathy around voting and it spans all generations and there could be a reason for a more balanced and fresh approach (without those hated PC listings) all around. A fresh face with fresh ideas should always be welcomed an as for the part about women and families its about time the husband/partner took a bit of responsibilty and let the women follow her beliefs!!!

[Ianto.W.]

Women in politics, i thought this was the serious section.

[SPUGGIE J]

Originally Posted by Ianto.W.

Women in politics, i thought this was the serious section.

It is. Better watch out Gayle dosnt come agunning for you.