International Women’s Day 2009

More than 200 women gathered in Bognor Regis to celebrate the female influence on life.

The participants travelled from London, Northampton, Portsmouth, Crawley and Brighton to provide a delightful mix for the occasion.

Music, dance, arts and crafts, empowering workshops, health-enhancing therapies, good fun and fantastic food made the event a success.

It was held in the Laburnum Centre to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Cleo Matthews, one of the organisers, said: “It was a wonderful day with women from many nations, cultures and religions coming together as sisters to enjoy a day of celebration and learning together. The children had a great time too.”

The festivities were the 14th to be held by the Arun International Women’s Day Group. They began with accordion music by Mary Knight as the centre took on a distinctly continental feel.

The theme of women in activism was represented in the decorations around the venue of pictures of women who had made a difference in the world.

A lively lunchtime session saw women share their experiences of working in different ways in the community.

This ranged from working in The Gambia to helping Girlguiding in Bognor and from working with migrant women to making headgear for those who have lost their hair because of cancer treatment.

The whole day was a powerful show of the wide range of talents and skills of local women.

There was drumming, story telling, circle dancing and African dance.

Author Sue Walker gave an introduction to crime writing, while Hery Dyer told how to tackle depression.

Feminist charades provided some laughter and Sarah Owen introduced a group to yoga while Linda Mills did pilates. In the arts and crafts room, children and adults enjoyed painting peace mandalas and jewellery making.

Taster sessions of a wide range of therapies were on offer along with information from some 20 groups. More details from the http://www.aiwd.org.uk website.

http://www.bognor.co.uk/news/Together-as-sisters–women.5061521.jp

See original posting Arun International Women’s Day Celebration

Nearly 600 people joined the One Law for All anti-racist rally against Sharia and religious-based laws in Britain and elsewhere and in defence of citizenship and universal rights in Trafalgar Square and marched towards Red Lion Square in London. Hundreds then joined our public meeting to discuss and debate Sharia, Sexual Apartheid and Women’s Rights. Our protest was met with widespread support and left many feeling inspired and invigorated. It was also covered by the mainstream media, including BBC Radio 4, BBC 5Live, BBC Wales, and the Times.

The rally of several hundred heard a number of speakers denouncing the policy of accommodation and appeasement of the political Islamic movement. A C Grayling in his speech said: ‘Once you start fragmenting society, once you start allowing different groups in society to apply different standards, you get very profound injustices and it is almost always women who suffer these injustices. We have to fight hard to keep one law for everybody.’

Parisa who was refused a divorce from a violent husband said: ‘Ten years of my life is gone because of Sharia law. I want to stop it. Please help to stop it. It is not fair. I had a good uncle who helped me to escape but what about others who don’t have a chance to run away. I saw that many, many times.’

Terry Sanderson, the president of the National Secular Society, said: ‘We do not need another legal system running in parallel… Sharia is creeping into our legal system and society and we must stop it in its tracks and now!’

Fariborz Pooya, head of the Iranian Secular Society, said ‘the introduction of Sharia is a betrayal of thousands of women and children and leaves them at the mercy of Islamist groups.’

After listening to a number of speeches, including from Sargul Ahmad, Jalil Jalili, Shiva Mahbobi, Reza Moradi, Maryam Namazie, Saeed Parto, Sohaila Sharifi and Bahram Soroush the crowd then marched through Strand and Kings Way to Red Lion Square with demands to end Sharia law in the UK and elsewhere.

At Conway Hall, they heard live music from the group, Raised Voices, then joined a public meeting and heard a panel of distinguished speakers discuss Sharia Law, Sexual Apartheid and Women’s Rights.

The meeting was chaired by Sohaila Sharifi (Central Council of Equal Rights Now – Organisation against Women’s Discrimination in Iran). Speakers included Yasmin Alibhai-Brown (Journalist and British Muslims for Secular Democracy Chair), Naser Khader (Democratic Muslims Founder), Kenan Malik (Writer and Broadcaster); Yasaman Molazadeh (One Law for All Legal Coordinator); Maryam Namazie (Equal Rights Now – Organisation against Women’s Discrimination in Iran, One Law for All and Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain Spokesperson), Pragna Patel (Southall Black Sisters and Women Against Fundamentalism founding member), Fariborz Pooya (Iranian Secular Society and Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain Chair), and Carla Revere (Lawyers’ Secular Society Chair). Sargul Ahmad (International Campaign against Civil Law in Kurdistan Iraq head) also spoke about the situation in Iraq under Sharia and the need for international solidarity.

March 7 was One Law for All’s first warning to the British government and the political Islamic movement. As Maryam Namazie said on the day: “We won’t stand idly by whilst the British government relegates a huge segment of our society to sham courts and regressive rules and appeases the Islamists here or elsewhere. And we will bring the political Islamic movement to its knees in Britain in much the same way that people are doing in Iran and elsewhere.” She added: “We will keep growing in numbers and strength until we get rid of Sharia councils and religious tribunal’s altogether.”

To see footage and photos of the rally, march and public meeting, click here: http://www.onelawforall.org.uk/eventPages/March7-2009.html

To donate to our organisation, sign the petition and find out more, visit our website: http://www.onelawforall.org.uk or contact: BM Box 2387 London WC1N 3XX, UK Tel: +44 (0) 7719166731 onelawforall@gmail.com

See original notice Join March 7 events against Sharia and Religious-based Tribunals in Britain and elsewhere

Women from all sectors of the community met at an International Women’s Day event hosted by Vijay Rattan, head of Naree Shakti Asian women’s support group, in Palmers Green, the event is a global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women.

Mrs Rattan said that about 20 of the women who came had suffered domestic violence to her knowledge and 35 women had been subject to a forced marriage.

She said: “Nearly 170 people came from all diffferent organisations and communities. We hope to have an event like this twice a year and set up a counselling session with other organisations.

“Last year someone contacted me and threatened me, telling me I was wrong to get involved in domestic violence and wash other people’s dirty linen in public. He said ‘we will come to your home’, but I told him off very badly.”

Mrs Rattan, spoke about the history of International Women’s Day which dates back to 1858 when a group of women revolted against poor working conditions in America which was then first commemorated with a women’s day event in 1909.

The gathering was held in the Naree Shakti office, in Bowes Road, starting at 10.30am and continuing over lunch to 3.30pm. Speeches on domestic violence from Colette Carnegie, the vice chair of the domestic violence forum in Enfield, mental health, by Jyotsna Shah, a medical expert, were featured.

David Burrowes, who chaired the event, said: “It was very successful and is now established in the calendar in Enfield. I hope it will grow over the years. A number of women’s associations come to it.

It is particularly relevant then of this is at being united against violence to women within the Asian community where domestic violence and forced marriage issues are very relevant and significant.”

He added that he hopes that more black and ethnic minority groups would join the event in future.

http://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/4201806.
Domestic_violence_concerns_at_International_Women_s_Day_event/

The Tricycle Theatre 269 Kilburn High Road, London NW6 7JR
Box Office 0207 328 1000 – nearest tube Kilburn on the Jubilee line

Tickets selling fast BOOK NOW TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT

TricycIe Theatre http://www.tricycle.co.uk/current-programme-pages/cinema-program/cinema-special-events/images-of-black-women-film-festival/

Images Of Black Women
Website http://www.imagesofblackwomen.com/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=49812842975

Festival passes available at just £31.50 for the whole weekend at reduced cost.
Call Now For More Information Tricycle Box Office 0207 328 1000.

Hosts for the Directors Q&A Panels

Radio Presenter Elayne Smith Caldwell (DJ Elayne) Colourful Radio plus Dami Akinnusi Director of the recently released successful Malcom X documentary will be quiz masters on our “Director’s Q&A Panel”.

Join us at the Tricycle for a great weekend of film, and fun.

Kenyan Film Director Wanuri Kahiu flies into London to attend the European Premiere of her film “From A Whisper” on FRIDAY 27TH at 8PM which features in the Images of Black Women Film Festival at the Tricycle

Johnny Mad Dog Best Film For Children’s Rights
Sunday March 29th 4:30pm – 6:30pm (97mins.)
by Jean-Stephane Sauvaire
£6.00/£5.00

And Don’t Forget Afrosaxon Documentary Sunday 29th, Alma’s Rainbow & Secret Life Of Bees both on Saturday 28th.

And for those budding film maker, directors, and producers, if you ever wanted to know ho you can fund a project, come to our DFG workshop, ” Documentary Film Making” where sponsors for the workshop the Innovatory will tell you how to access funding for your projects, whilst DFG will tell you how to get the best from your production. Tickets are just a £6.00 investment for a workshop that could change your life in the world of film. BOOK NOW Tricycle Box Office 0207 328 1000

Come and join us for this fascinating weekend, when we look forward to meeting you for debate on our celebrity panels, fun at our films, and education at our workshop. You can see the true talent of Black Female Film makers, not to be seen anywhere else. Enjoy the film and network with like minded, and influential women in film.

Buy your tickets now:
Tricycle Box Office Tel: 0207 328 1000.
Festival Enquiries: 0203 177 3904 or
Click on this link to Email Us

See earlier posting about Image Of Black Women Film Festival 2009 – African Descent Women In Cinema – 5th Anniversary (until 29th)

Lots of links to photos and online videos via the MWR facebook group http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb#/group.php?gid=11516673477

And here are some links to  other blogs, photos and videos on the web:

International Women’s Day and the Million Women Rise march
Yesterday I was in London and Regent’s Street suddenly went quiet – wonderful – no cars and quiet – folk started walking down the middle of the road – people seemed to visibly relax and smile more or was that just me? Then came the chanting, whistles, music and shouts from thousands of women – the Million Women Rise march…. Continues at http://ruscombegreen.blogspot.com/2009/03/international-womens-day-and-million.html

MILLION WOMEN RISE 2009
Lots of photos and personal account of attending the march by witchywoo http://witchywoo.wordpress.com/2009/03/09/million-women-rise-2009/

a million women rise 2009
photos on flikr http://www.flickr.com/photos/eventful/sets/72157614873382281/ from one of the production team who worked on the event http://headancer.blogspot.com/2009/03/million-women-rising.html

Million Women Rise
Women continue to experience violence in their everyday lives; In our homes, on our streets, on our public transport, at our places of work. On the eve of International Women’s Day protesters came together for Million Women Rise to march in demand of a safer future for women. Continues at http://www.upliftmagazine.com/uplift/?p=232

On Saturday I attended my first protest march: Million Women Rise.
I was nervous about going not because I doubted my commitment to the cause – to end male violence against women – but because I have had so many negative experiences of women in the past. (includes video footage as well) go to http://shemakeswar.com/blog/2009/03/09/warriorgrrl-vblog-ep-05-million-women-rise/

International women’s day protest
While doing MA Multi-Media Journalism I often felt like I was spending every waking moment looking for a story, often to no avail. Funny then, that one should come and find me on the very day of our MAMMJ reunion in London on Saturday, March 7. I was milling around near Piccadilly Circus when I met a real-life protest head-on. continues at http://kyriakikaradelis.wordpress.com/2009/03/15/international-womens-day-protest/

Saturday Afternoon in Oxford Street
… and we are not going shopping
Pictures and video at http://pamisherwood.wordpress.com/2009/03/07/saturday-afternoon-in-oxford-street/

Object at MWR
Object activists’ online album of photos at
http://picasaweb.google.com/objectactivist/MillionWomenRise2009#

Some photos from MWR 2009
An inexperienced photographer tries to use her new camera without having read the instruction booklet …
http://picasaweb.google.com/womeninlondon/MillionWomenRise2009

Million Women in Oxford St
http://re-photo.co.uk/?p=590

And from earlier in the day

Prada Protest Photos
Unusually well-dressed protesters posed outside Prada holding placards denouncing the treatment of the woman workers who make some of the products on sale inside. More at http://re-photo.co.uk/?p=592

GLAWN celebrating International Women’s Day [IWD] in Waterloo, London.

On Saturday 21st March 2009 with a workshop on “Women and the Environment”

Issues to be discussed
* Pollution
* Sustainable Development
* Health in general
* Climate Change

The event will be held at Living Space, 1 Coral Street, Waterloo, London SE1 7BE

From: 2:00pm – 4:30pm

Buses: 1, 4, 26, 59, 68, 76, 168, 171, 172, 188, 243, 507

Trains/Tube: Elephant and Castle, North Lambeth and Waterloo

For further information contact GLAWN on 020 7928 2800, Mobile:07799857625, Email: info@glawn.org.uk

All Welcome

Background information:

As part of our continuing support for International Women’s Week, KRWO are holding a conference to raise the awareness of issues around polygamy in this country and in the Middle East.

Over the last 17 years of Kurdish self-rule some of most barbaric violations of women’s rights have continued and continue to affect the lives of over two million women in Kurdistan Iraq. Women and girls continue to be subjected to forced marriage, child marriage, female genital mutilation, domestic violence as the norm and honour killing. All of these violations of a women’s right to be free of inhuman and degrading treatment, not to mention the right to life, have been met by almost complete silence by the Kurdish government.

In the new Personal Status Law brought into effect by the Kurdistan Parliament in October 2008 renewed the right of men to enter into polygamous marriages. Breathing new life into the history of polygamy which is tied directly to the subjugation of women and violates the basic principles of equality between men and women as understood in International Law.

In the UK since Muslim marriages are not legally recognised, some Muslim men have religious marriages and marry more than one woman while remaining within the boundaries of UK law. This situation, Lady Warsi, the shadow minister for community cohesion, argues is the result of an inappropriate concern for cultural sensitivities.
This conference has been organised with a view towards ending polygamous marriages in this country and abroad, and eradicating violence against women.

Let’s make International Women’s Day on March 8 – a day against polygamy!

Saturday 28th March 2009 from 10.30am – 2pm

London South Bank University
Abbey Conference Centre
Castle Lecture Theatre
London Road Building
100-116 London Road
SE1 6LN

Conference Programme:

10:30 – 11:00 Registration and Refreshments

11:00 – 11:15 Welcome and Introduction

Conference Chair: Gona Saed – Kurdistan Refugee Women Organisation

11:15 – 12:30 Speakers:

Sawsan Salim – Director, Kurdistan Refugee Women Organisation
Reprentative – Kurdistan Regional Government UK
Gerry Campbell – Detective Superintendent, Metropolitan Police (tbc)
Dr Ghayas Siddiqui – Muslim Parliament of Great Britian

12:30 – 13.00 Q&A

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch

14.00 – 14:45 Speakers:

Rezan Jalal – Kurdistan Women’s Union
Houzan Mahmoud – Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq
Dashti Jamal – Iraqi Refugee Organisation

14:45 – 15.15 Q&A

15:30 – End

---

By tube – our closest stations is Elephant & Castle on the Bakerloo and Northern line.

By bus – numbers 1, 12, 35, 40, 45, 53, 63, 68, 100, 133, 148, 155, 168, 171, 172, 176, 188, 196, 333, 344, 360, 363, 453, 468, C10 and P5.

By car – parking in Central London is very difficult and it is not possible to park in the University grounds or the surrounding roads.

E-mail: waviolence@ukonline.co.uk
Website: http://www.womenaginstviolenceuk.org

Unreported World’s Ramita Navai marks international women’s day at an Amnesty event about the role of female journalists in reporting conflict

I was chuffed to be asked to take part in a special panel discussion at Amnesty International’s HQ last night on women reporting from the frontline, not only because it was a chance to reflect on my work and the nature of our journalism, but because I was going to be in good company – the three other female foreign reporters are not any old reporters, but among the best in the country – Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor of Channel 4 News, Christine Toomey and Marie Colvin, both of the Sunday Times.

Amnesty was holding the event as part of International Women’s Day and invited us to talk about the old chestnuts that are often thrown at female reporters – how being female affects our journalism, and whether newsrooms and editors are bastions of sexism. They also wanted us to share our experiences of how women’s lives are affected by war and whether media attention and campaigning can make a difference to their lives.

So, do we women journalists report differently from our male colleagues? All of us on the panel took slight umbrage to the question to start with – good reporting is, after all, simply good reporting. When you’re singled out as a sex for reporting differently, it’s hard not to suspect sexist assumptions – that women reporters are more tuned into people’s emotions, more sensitive to the impact of war on families while, of course, allowing ourselves to be clouded by our emotions and so implicitly less able to stand back, analyse and be objective.

But we soon agreed that there are some undeniable differences. We cover the same stories as our male colleagues, but we get access to stories that are often denied to them, and so our insights on how conflicts affect women, say, are broader. Christine Toomey, a feature writer who has written award-winning articles on the postwar impact of mass rape in Bosnia, said that the subjects that often interest her are different from male colleagues, as is the way she interacts and communicates with people.

These differences also work to our advantage, including the frequent and potentially-irritating occurrence of not being taken seriously. In countries where there are restrictions on media freedom, there is nothing more satisfying than having your requests and questions met by mild amusement and curiosity, which does wonders in loosening tongues. It can also helps distract government minders.

We were also asked whether there’s a tendency for us only to cover women’s stories, and if we are boxed into a category by commissioning editors. Just looking at the range of issues that each of us has covered – wars, gang violence, murder, trafficking, politics etc etc – the answer was a resounding no. Having said that, if you want to uncover human rights abuses, women’s issues are obviously part of the territory. And if you want to uncover the world’s unreported stories, it is very often women and children who are the most forgotten and the most vulnerable.

Lindsey Hilsum said it’s important not show emotion when reporting to camera, in order to appear authoritative and objective. She noted a double standard here, saying that if a male reporter became teary-eyed he’d be applauded for being sensitive and empathic, instead of the eye-rolling ‘well, it’s a woman’ response that we would receive. But keeping my emotions in check is something I still struggle with. Although Lindsey did admit to the lump-in-the-throat moment, she was quick to add: only when the camera is OFF! With the style of Unreported World – where the cameras are constantly rolling in order for the viewer to get to see events unfold as the reporter follows the trail of a story – I don’t always have that luxury. And when you’re faced with a little boy telling you his world has been shattered and he is in constant pain because his penis and testicles were hacked off to be sold, or when a young girl breaks down as she says she has lost six babies and has such horrific injuries from childbirth she is incontinent for life, and the smell of urine that permeates from her means that her community have cut her off, it’s not always easy to keep the emotions at bay. I’m a reporter, but I’m also a human, moved by tragedy, loss and despair. But luckily editors can work wonders, so wobbly moments can magically disappear…

Many in the audience at Amnesty, who included aspiring journalists, activists and campaigners, wanted to know if our work has a positive impact on the stories we cover, and also how we cope with the job. We all had encouraging tales of how pieces we had written or broadcast have inspired readers and viewers – even some politicians – to act. After seeing my report on child brides in Nigeria, a couple from the north of England contacted Channel 4 and are now trying to sponsor the young girl I mentioned above, and the hospital that was treating her. We had a similar response from viewers who saw the little boy in our film about the sale of human body parts in South Africa. All the panelists agreed that we do this job because we feel that exposing these stories to the world can make a difference. Even if it’s a tiny difference.

But we also had a reminder that there are still many stories that desperately need telling – a young Sri Lankan woman in the audience at Amnesty broke down as she asked us our view on why the war in her country is so neglected and under-reported when conflicts like that in Gaza, rightly, command acres of news coverage.

This is a subject close to Marie’s heart, having doggedly reported from Sri Lanka, and having been seriously injured there while on the job. It’s because the government has systematically banned the foreign press, local journalists have been killed and forced to flee their country if they dare file reports. Even reporting undercover has become nearly impossible. The result is an ongoing war without witnesses, which means less pressure on the international community to act.

As to how we keep ourselves sane and happy in the face of some of the horrors we have all witnessed, detachment is one of the keys to self-preservation in this business. Although Marie’s method is preferred: ‘I go to a lot of bars,’ she said in her magnetic drawl. Hear, hear!

Ramita Navai – reporter for Channel 4’s Unreported World

http://www.newstatesman.com/international-politics/0000/00/international-women-reporting

Speaking ahead of International Women’s Day at his second People’s Question Time in Tower Hamlets, he also praised the awesome contribution of women to the ongoing success of the capital and vowed to improve life for women in London by ensuring their needs are factored into every policy and decision of his administration.

Boris Johnson said:

“With International Women’s Day fast approaching I’m delighted to seize this opportunity to thank the women of London for their incredible contribution to the success of this great city and to announce a special ‘Women in London’ debate on July 22nd in Croydon.

“Over the last year I’ve been hugely fortunate to have some highly talented women come on board and work for me – Rosie Boycott as Chair of London Foods, Isabel Dedring, as Director of Environmental Policy, Kate Hoey as Sports Commissioner and Munira Mirza as Director of Culture. These remarkable women, and the thousands like them across London, are setting a fantastic example and their work is crucial to taking us through this recession and raising the quality of life for everyone in the capital.

“I have no doubt there are challenges ahead for women, as there will be for all of us. However as Mayor of London I am determined to do whatever I can to make life better for women in the capital and I am committed to factoring their needs into every single policy and decision of my administration from the economy to safety to transport.“

The Mayor also launched the annual Women in London Report, which takes a statistically look at the position of women in the capital, at the event. The report shows that more women than ever before are joining the Met Police – 40 per cent of all new recruits in 2007/2008 were female compared to 27 per cent the year before – and women in the capital continue to be healthier and better educated than their male counterparts. It also reveals that while the gender pay gap persists in the city there are more women at senior positions in London than elsewhere in the UK.
Ends.

http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=21242

Leading female MPs are failing to inspire a “lost generation” of young women to become interested in politics, a damning report has revealed. Girls and young women feel disenchanted with and disengaged from politics, the major study found.

More than 90 years after women won the right to vote, the survey of young females aged up to 25 concludes they are “outside politics”, with many feeling detached from local and national policies and decision-making.

The report, which has been highlighted to mark International Women’s Day by Girlguiding UK, the largest women-only organisation in the country, casts doubt on the ability of high-ranking female politicians to act as credible role models for girls.

Ruth Kelly, who resigned from the Cabinet last year to spend more time with her family, has left the impression that women cannot have both a high-flying career and children, one Guide leader said yesterday.

The study places the blame on a lack of information about how to take part in local and national politics, and the small proportion of female MPs – 19 per cent – in Westminster.

The report, Political Outsiders: We Care, But Will We Vote?, is published in partnership with the Fawcett Society and the British Youth Council. Its findings are all the more worrying because it is based on the views of Guides, traditionally more active in volunteering than others in their age group, suggesting disillusionment in the wider public is even greater.

Denise King, the chief executive of Girlguiding UK, said: “This report shows that greater efforts are needed to inspire the next generation of female policy-makers, empowering them to have a real say on issues affecting their daily lives and the communities they live in.”

More than a quarter of girls are put off by a lack of information about how they should take part, while 17 per cent believe it cannot make a difference.

Nearly half of young women say they would like to be more involved in volunteering, but when this comes to local or national politics, the figure drops to 28 per cent. Domestic violence, gangs and knife crime, bullying and equality at work emerged as the most important issues for young women.

The report calls for a new Youth Green Paper, including a demand for one person under 25 to be on every parliamentary shortlist, and the ability to vote by text message or through social networking sites such as Facebook.

Katherine Rake, the director of the Fawcett Society, said: “The gap between Westminster and the daily lives of today’s young women is rapidly widening into a chasm as young women struggle to see the relevance of national politics.”

Jess Alcroft, 21, a student at Leeds University and a Guide leader, said: “Ruth Kelly is my MP in Bolton West, and when she resigned to spend more time with her family it put across the perception that women cannot have a high-profile political career if they want a family as well.

“Deep down I really want to be in politics… But I get the impression that the majority of male MPs are sitting around just filling in their expenses forms.”

Asked whether she believed Harriet Harman was a good role model, Miss Alcroft said: “Any woman in a high-profile position is a good role model, but there is a sense that you have to hide your femininity to achieve things in politics, and be a person rather than a woman. I would dispute that, because there are benefits to having a feminine side.”

Theresa May, the most senior female member ofthe shadow cabinet, said: “Without sustained efforts by politicians from all parties these young women… will become a lost generation politically, disengaged from the decisions that affect them.”

The Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson, the youngest member of the House of Commons, said: “When I was growing up I too felt that there was a lack of female role models in politics and a lack of young MPs who would champion the issues important to young people and inspire us to be active citizens.”

Harriet Harman

The frontrunner to succeed Gordon Brown, according to bookmakers, is criticised for not being ‘feminine’ enough and does not cut through to ordinary young women.

Hazel Blears

The Communities Secretary admits ‘we still have a long way to go’ to encourage more women to become involved in politics. Guides say Blears is recognisable only inside Westminster.

Ruth Kelly

By resigning from the Cabinet to spend more time with her family, she ‘left the impression’ that women cannot have both children and a high-flying political career.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/a-whole-generation-of-women-is-lost-to-politics-1639762.html