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AV: What could it mean for women?

by Guest    
March 18, 2011 at 4:15 pm

Contribution by Hayley Chamberlain

What has surprised me more than anything over the course of the campaign (yes, even more than NO2AV’s outlandish adverts) is the lack of discussion about how the alternative vote will affect under-represented groups in society. It is true that on its own, AV is not going to put more women into Parliament overnight, but there isn’t a system in the world that would. Much work will still need to be done to make Parliament a more welcoming place for women and men of all backgrounds and this cannot be achieved without the will of the parties.

However, recent experience in America shows that upgrading our system to AV can have a profound effect on the nature of election campaigns, helping to make politics more accessible to women and men from more diverse backgrounds. Oakland in California held its first mayoral election using AV (known there as Instant Runoff Voting) last November and the difference it made was striking. The favoured, establishment candidate Don Perata was beaten by Jean Quan, who became the first Asian American female mayor. If the election had been run using first past the post, Perata would have won comfortably even though most people in the city didn’t actually want him.
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Does Comic Relief tackle poverty?

by Ellie Mae    
March 17, 2011 at 9:00 am

Brazilian archbishop, Dom Helder Camara, famously said, ‘when I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.’ It’s an interesting quote, and one that I am often reminded of when watching Comic Relief: a phenomenon that is astoundingly good at doing the former, without doing the latter. continue reading… »

Why time-limiting disability benefits will hurt working families like mine

by Guest    
March 14, 2011 at 12:42 pm

contribution by Sue Marsh

Today, I’m launching my new campaign.

During the CSR, George Osborne announced that he would be time-limiting ESA (Employment Support Allowance, previously Incapacity Benefit) to one year. This means, that anyone with a working partner found capable of doing any kind of work at all will only receive state support for one year.

Once that year is up they will receive no help at all, a loss of £4661. This is three times as much as higher rate taxpayers will lose in child benefit. 
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In defence of LGBT History Month: a reply to Toby Young

by Guest    
March 13, 2011 at 1:43 pm

contribution by Jules Mattsson

Last week I read two columns by journalist Toby Young attacking my old school for celebrating LGBT history month. His lack of understanding seemed to unite pupils, staff, parents and ex-pupils alike in anger over his claims.

The fact that the sole source for his columns seems to be a third hand blog post maybe gives him the defence of wilful ignorance. LGBT issues do not replace the curriculum, nor are they separate to it.
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Polls show public back decent public sector pensions

by Nigel Stanley    
March 11, 2011 at 9:02 am

Here’s a fascinating poll commissioned by Prospect on public sector pensions that has not received the attention it deserves.

By more than five to one, the British public says the average public sector pension should be increased to at least £10,000, a YouGov poll for the Prospect professionals’ union has revealed. Only 11% of people say public servants should get less than £10,000.
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How exactly will IDS pay for his flat pension scheme?

by Nigel Stanley    
March 9, 2011 at 9:20 am

There are powerful arguments in favour of a simpler flat-rate pension of the kind outlined by Iain Duncan Smith yesterday.

The question is who is going to pay for it. Who will win? Who will lose? We do not know the answers to these questions yet. Simplification is always a good thing in principle, but in practice is almost always much controversial.
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How times have changed

by Guest    
March 8, 2011 at 2:56 pm

contribution by Elizannie

Each of my great-grandmothers have been described at various times by various descendants as ‘a strong woman’ [sometimes the adjective has not been so kind as 'strong'!].

But to survive in those times [last forty years of the 19th century onwards] working class women as my great grandmothers were, had to be ‘strong’. One great grandmother was widowed aged just over thirty with three children aged under five.
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Duke of York: time to get a job, mate

by Dave Osler    
March 8, 2011 at 1:37 pm

Highly attractive woman though Angelina Jolie indisputably is, I do sometimes wonder what it is about thespianism that makes her especially suitable for her role as goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Nor am I clear why Geri Halliwell was chosen to undertake a similar job for the UN Population Fund, although she may possess greater legitimacy than Tony Blair boasts as quartet special envoy to the Middle East. At least the Spice Girls never actually invaded any of the countries in which Ginger is expected to spread peace, love and understanding.
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Don’t tell us we don’t need feminism any more

by Guest    
March 8, 2011 at 9:02 am

contribution by Sian Norris

Last year, Nicholas D Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn published their game changing book, Half the Sky. In it, they talk about the 107 million missing women.

These women are missing because of femicide, because of lack of healthcare, because of domestic violence and because of trafficking. These are the women who we don’t hear about on the news.
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Can we stop talking nonsense about breast-milk?

by Rowan Davies    
March 1, 2011 at 11:30 am

If you don’t want to spend £15 on an ice cream made with human milk, that’s A-OK with me. I don’t want to spend £15 on that either. You may have concerns about the commodification of people; I can understand that. You may dislike political posturing; that’s fine.

But if you espouse any of the following points of view, I may well get my leaky friend to squirt you in the eye with some of her finest breast-juice. (It’s great for conjunctivitis!)
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Banning soup kitchens is only the start of the attack on London’s homeless

by Sunder Katwala    
February 28, 2011 at 8:59 am

The richest Tory-run Council in the country is seeking to ban soup kitchens for the homeless from an area around Westminster Cathedral. Labour Uncut has provided the documents to prove that they really hadn’t made up the story with a “you couldn’t make it up” feel to it.

A controversy over banning soup kitchens could prove particularly toxic for the “big society”.
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Why gay-only venues should have the right to exist

by Guest    
February 26, 2011 at 2:03 pm

contribution by Kaite Welsh

In the wake of a case that seemed to sound the death knell for homophobia, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has found a new target. Despite no formal complaints, the Commission is investigating potential discrimination – from gay-only venues.

But is that really a big deal? Now that gay people are enjoying an unprecedented amount of tolerance, why stay in the ghetto even if it is fabulous?
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Are people with mental health problems being let down by representatives?

by Guest    
February 13, 2011 at 6:36 pm

contribution by Richard Shrubb

“I have a dream…” said a great man, speaking of equal rights for the sons of slaves in his country. Joining in the fervour, another great man said “Say it out loud, I’m black and I’m proud”. Others in the same movement frightened the US government with talk of armed insurrection.

I had a dream. I dreamed of people seeing my education, skills, background and personality and a long way down the list, that I have mental health problems. So in 2005, fresh faced from university yet jaded already from discrimination because of a neurochemical imbalance in my brain, I joined a movement which I thought would change the minds of the public about mental illness.
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A basic guide to disability cuts, and why they should be opposed

by Guest    
February 9, 2011 at 10:40 am

contribution by Sean Gittins

Unfortunately, cuts and changes to disability and sickness benefit have with a few exceptions not entered into mainstream debates. If we are to get the public to realise not only how unfair the Coalition’s proposals are but also do something about it then this needs to change.

The government is proposing alterations and cuts to two of the most important benefits available to the sick and disabled (although there are others): the Employment Support Allowance (ESA), and the Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
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Two graphs that illustrate realities of the big recession

by Guest    
February 9, 2011 at 9:09 am

contribution by David Malone

What has been gained these last two years and what has been lost? And how shall measure it value?

Here are two graphs, two measure of one reality. They both measure the huge surge in the number of Americans who rely on Food Stamps to feed themselves and their children.  They are from articles both published this week
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The type of social mobility no one talks about

by Guest    
February 5, 2011 at 10:30 am

contribution by James Plunkett

Ed Miliband yesterday addressed the issue of social mobility in a speech in Gateshead. His argument was built around the concept of the ‘British Promise’ – the idea that each generation of children will do better than their parents.

It’s our own rather less lofty version of the American Dream, and it’s a promise, he says, that’s in danger of being broken.
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Dammit, those gays are getting the upper hand

by Dave Osler    
February 4, 2011 at 3:28 pm

Picture the Britain of the not-too-distant future, in which an omnipotent Pink Stasi mounts a 24/7 undercover surveillance operation on all straight pick-up joints, listening out for anybody who invites a member of the opposite gender to go back to their place for a coffee.

The man and the woman are trailed home by a squad of heavily armed Muscle Marys, who wait outside the premises for about half an hour, thereby allowing time for all necessary seduction preliminaries. And as soon as the bedroom light is switched on, a snatch squad hammers down the front door just as the hapless couple are about to make the beast with two backs.
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A clampdown on sexism in the media? Pull the other one

by Guest    
January 27, 2011 at 5:05 pm

contribution by MediaInsider

I can’t help but think BSkyB and News International slamming its employees for sexism is a bit like George Osborne complaining that his weekly food shopping bill has increased- they both only have themselves to blame.

Sky Sports News openly flaunts its sex appeal (see recent advert), and has a history of employing young, attractive female presenters to work alongside middle-aged male pundits, hardly sending a message that sexism in the work place is dead.

Its Saturday morning show Soccer AM even trades off its image as ‘Men and Motors’ style trashy TV.
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Raab is right about discrimination against men, but wrong to blame feminists

by Guest    
January 27, 2011 at 10:24 am

contribution by Laura Nelson

In a sweeping, scathing tirade, Tory MP Dominic Raab this week attacked the ‘obnoxious bigotry’ of feminists.

Feminists are individuals, and don’t all share the same views. But, in general, we aspire to the very opposite of bigotry. Feminists aspire to equality for men and women, which is just what Raab says he wants too.

And this is the interesting point. Raab wants equality. Feminists want equality.
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David Davis and the class divide: how we could respond

by Paul Cotterill    
January 24, 2011 at 1:52 pm

Last night, ex-senior Tory David Davis spoke on Radio 5 about Cameron’s inner circle as totally out of touch with the concerns of the vast majority of people in Britain.

There is as yet no transcript of what David Davis said on Radio 5, but Conservative Home puts the ”bombshell” like this:

• A common criticism of the Cameron leadership is that they don’t have a sense of what poorer people…….
• It’s a problem of antennae rather than intellect…
• David and George care about the issues but they are who they are, they don’t come from backgrounds where people have to scrape together money at the end of the week…..
• We are the most stratified society in the western world. Cameron and Clegg say they want to change this but it’s tough for them to do so when they can only do so intellectually.

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