Reading University- Women in Politics Event

11.17.54am GMT Wed 4th Nov 2009

On Thursday 29th October the Reading University Liberal Democrat Society held a Women in Politics evening. They had an excellent selection of guest speakers including- Susan Kramer MP, Baroness Thomas of Walliswood and Councillor Daisy Benson of Reading Borough Council. This was brought about and chaired by Reading University Lib Dem President Mark Whiley.

Reading University has a strong base of Lib Dems with them last year gaining the most people who signed up to Liberal Youth at Freshers Fair. They were narrowly beaten by York University this year.

The talk was in the form of a question and answer session with the panel of female 'politicians' if you will, and started by simply asking the panel to introduce themselves and give the audience a general overview of how they became involved in politics. Many issues were addressed and some of the themes that came up were the following: all women shortlists (a very popular debate that was of great interest for the panel and the audience,) the view of women in politics, political role models, male domination, changing of the Westminster system. There was much discussion between audience and panel and made for a lively enjoyable evening.

A particular motif that I have found to run through events such as these is the fact that women need CONFIDENCE and support to help them pursue a career in politics. The panel were all unanimous in this belief. Women are capable to do all of the roles that such a high percentage of men do in politics and with emerging support networks such as these events, ourselves and campaign for gender balance, hopefully we can see a increase of Women in Politics