{"id":3212,"date":"2015-03-08T08:00:07","date_gmt":"2015-03-08T08:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=3212"},"modified":"2015-03-09T14:09:11","modified_gmt":"2015-03-09T14:09:11","slug":"women-got-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=3212","title":{"rendered":"Women \u00e2\u20ac\u201c we got the power"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

In water cooler moments up and down the land everyone agrees that the fast approaching general election will be \u00e2\u20ac\u0098the closest ever\u00e2\u20ac\u2122.<\/p>\n

 
\nAll political parties are now scrambling to maximise their vote on May 7. But on what will the result hinge?<\/p>\n

 
\nMight it be the expected meltdown of the Lib Dems, the ugly populist rhetoric of UKIP, or perhaps the picture in Scotland?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Possibly, but more likely the result will depend on the participation of women.<\/p>\n

 
\nOver nine million British women didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t vote in 2010. If they turn up at the ballot box this time around then undeniably they will decide who occupies Downing Street.<\/p>\n

 
\nMissing millions<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWomen are the key to this election,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 said Siobhan Endean, Unite head of equalities.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe are the missing millions in terms of voters and women really could swing it.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe fact is women have really suffered under this government. The disproportionate impact of the cuts agenda and austerity measures have meant that women have lost their childcare places, seen the closure of SureStart centres, equally they have lost their jobs \u00e2\u20ac\u201c secure jobs with pensions and secure working hours.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bInstead we see more self-employment, zero hours\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 contracts, low skilled work and evermore women doing two or three jobs just to make ends meet.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 
\nShe describes the situation faced by women in the UK as \u00e2\u20ac\u015bcritical\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 and urges a change of political direction.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bA new government will make a massive difference. If we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get rid of this government and replace it with a Labour government we are going to be in serious trouble when it comes to keeping our heads above water financially and economically.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 
\nHow might that happen? Well Endean makes it clear that simply hoping women will feel inclined to become more engaged is not enough.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s really important that women participate in this general election, more so than any other election in the past,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she says.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe need to make sure we are registered to vote, we are out there campaigning and raising the issues that affect us as women.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 
\nAnd what about Harriet Harman\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Woman to Woman \u00e2\u20ac\u0098pink bus\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 initiative \u00e2\u20ac\u201c currently touring the country with the specific aim of getting out the female vote in as many as 70 key constituencies.<\/p>\n

 
\nEndean believes the bus serves a purpose when it comes to engagement.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWhat\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s really important about the women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s bus is not the colour. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the fact that the bus signifies a political party that is prepared to go and talk to people about the issues that affect us,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she adds.<\/p>\n

 
\nWe meet at an event ahead of today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s International Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Day, (March 8), at which the election, and those who will contest, it is one of the main topics of discussion. Endean is clear on this \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u015bpolitics needs to reflect the diversity of women in the UK,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she says.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bPolitics is still seen mainly as white,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she says \u00e2\u20ac\u015band there aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t enough black or Asian women in politics. Politicians need to be seen to be listening to black and Asian women about the massive impact that the cuts agenda has had on them as well.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 
\nThat\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a theme taken up by Kate Osamor, Labour parliamentary candidate for Edmonton in north London.<\/p>\n

 
\nTaken for granted<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

 
\nShe told me, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe experiences of BAEM women and the conversations they have with sisters in similar positions show that we are being taken for granted and aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seen as bringing value to the table by people in our parties.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 
\nOsamor goes further, saying, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe fact a third of MPs went to private school shows disparity between the leaders of the country and the masses they represent.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe majority of the leaders of the parties haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t gone to the local comprehensive school, haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t been brought up in a single parent household, haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t lived off benefits and haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t relied on social housing \u00e2\u20ac\u201c all of those things that I have seen first-hand in my own community.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe people currently at the top of the political parties simply have no experience of that and their policies reflect this.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 
\nA few miles across the capital Tulip Siddiq \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a British Bangladeshi \u00e2\u20ac\u201c is defending the seat of Hampstead and Kilburn which was held with a wafer-thin 42 vote majority by Glenda Jackson in 2010.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI’ve lost count of how many times inspiring women in my constituency have told me they don’t feel politics is for them,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she says. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt pains me every time I hear it because women have been hit hardest by the coalition.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe only way we can reverse these policies and give women the rights and support we need, is if we elect a Labour Government.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIf every woman who didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t vote before came out and voted on May 7 Parliament could look very different.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Interestingly a recent poll for BBC Radio 4\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Hour found that a disproportionate number of women are undecided about whether to vote \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 35 per cent compared to around 25 per cent of men.<\/p>\n

 
\nThat\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a finding which also worries Rosa Kallides, chair of Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s London and Eastern Region women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s committee.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWomen are the majority of part-time workers. They run the households and I think they are the voice that isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really heard,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 she says.<\/p>\n

 
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWomen have to understand how important they are \u00e2\u20ac\u201c that has to get across. If we can get these nine million women out there to vote it will have a positive effect on women, but also on working class people in general.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 
\nOne thing seems clear enough \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the country\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s future is in the hands of women. It is they \u00e2\u20ac\u201c who once fought so hard to have a voice in society \u00e2\u20ac\u201c who now hold the power in the land, should they choose to exercise it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In water cooler moments up and down the land everyone agrees that the fast approaching general election will be \u00e2\u20ac\u0098the closest ever\u00e2\u20ac\u2122.   All political parties are now scrambling to maximise their vote on May 7. But on what will the result hinge?   Might it be the expected meltdown of the Lib Dems, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3046,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[224,209],"wps_subtitle":"On International Women\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Day we look at why women are key to election win","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3212"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3212"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3212\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3213,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3212\/revisions\/3213"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3046"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3212"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}