All-women’s party is ready to be a player

WITH the rise of special interest parties such as the Green Party, Plaid Cymru and the SNP, has the time come for a dedicated women’s party? Catherine Mayer, editor-at-large at Time magazine, thinks so and has founded the Women’s Equality Party.

What was an off-the-cuff comment at a panel event at the Women of the World Festival — “let’s form a women’s party and see what happens: I’ll be in the bar afterwards” — led to an inaugural meeting last month followed this Saturday by an informal conference at Conway Hall, chaired by Sandi Toksvig with Stella Duffy as a key speaker, and a policy forum.

Toksvig, comedian and author of Girls Are Best, a history of how women had changed the world, recounted one Amazon reviewer, who gave the book one star, saying it was “feminist nonsense” which “gives girls ideas above their station”.

“We will be having ideas above our station and any other stations that people put in our way,” said Toksvig.

The party intends to invigorate women’s politics and build a base of support

WHEN the World Cup in Brazil was on last year David Cameron was seen as a bad omen for our footballing hopes. Aston Villa might also have been fearful when the Prime Minister turned up in Solihull on Friday and said “fingers crossed, actually everything crossed, for this Sunday” — Dave is a fan of the Birmingham team. Villa, for our non-sports followers, were playing Liverpool at Wembley for a place in the FA Cup Final. They came from behind to win 2-1. A good omen for the Conservatives?