Tag Archives: #askhertostand

Meera Chadha

No woman is an island

By Meera Chadha | Sat 21st November 2020 - 9:58 am

It seems fitting that this year on 21 November we celebrate #AskHerToStand Day at the same time as Kamala Harris makes history as the first female Vice President elect in the USA.

Whilst the world and our lives have changed so dramatically since our own Parliamentary Election 12 months ago, for me the memories are still very fresh (or is it raw?) as I remember my experience as a first-time candidate.

Deciding to stand wasn’t an easy decision – not only was I standing for election for the first time in the middle of a very wet, cold winter, but I was changing jobs and in the early stages of pregnancy with my second child. I had to weigh up the physical and emotional demands that come with growing a human alongside my desire to stand up for the issues I believe in.

In truth, this isn’t something men have to deal with – even when they do have young families, it isn’t quite the same physical impact and Mummy Guilt is pretty powerful at the best of times! Early on, I enlisted the support of my family, who helped in numerous ways – from cooking meals and doing nursery pick-ups to delivering leaflets and being my test audience for hustings. My partner rallied me when I was feeling unsure or overwhelmed and stepped in to take on my share of our domestic life. It left me feeling loved and incredibly lucky.

My experience is neatly captured in this short documentary, following my eager enthusiasm and the ups and downs of a winter election where the national picture is going against you.

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Posted in Op-eds | 7 Comments
The Voice

Lib Dem Emma Walker tells Sky News about #Askhertostand event in Parliament

By The Voice | Fri 23rd November 2018 - 1:30 pm

This Wednesday marked 100 years since the passing of the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 2018 which made it possible for women over the age of 21 to stand for Parliament.

A century on, women make up only just over 200 of 650 MPs. That’s why MPs were asked to invite a woman from their constituency to an Ask her to stand event to mark the anniversary.

Christine Jardine asked Emma Walker who, just over a year ago, wasn’t even a member of the Party. She’s made a massive impact in Scotland this year, getting involved in campaigning and member recruitment – and she opened the Autumn Conference in September.

Emma talked to Sky News about what had motivated her to get involved:

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Posted in News | Also tagged and | 2 Comments
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Recent Comments

  • John Mc
    This is all good stuff, but honestly, who is really getting to hear it? Reform have 5 MPs yet seem to be being anointed as a government in waiting. The LDs hav...
  • Simon R
    @David Evans: Are you seriously trying to compare maintaining the level of the pension at its current level in real terms (which is what would be implied by scr...
  • David Evans
    Hi Simon (R), I do have difficulty in understanding how you can make such a post and justify it by the one reason, "That doesn’t seem to me like something to ...
  • David Raw
    As someone of a certain generation whose Party slogan was "People matter, People Count", I've nothing to add to the BBC News today : "As Palestinians pou...
  • Simon R
    @Cassie: Why do you feel that talk about ending the triple lock should make pensioners worry? Ending the triple lock doesn't mean anything silly or mean like en...