North East Ladies live in the Real World

17 Sep 2006

Fiona Hall, Carol Woods, Eileen Blakey, Jan Robotham, Maureen Rigg, Suzanne Fletcher getting their nails done — Fiona, Cllr. Carol Woods, Cllr. Eileen Blakey, chair of the Northern Region region of Lib Dems, Jan Robotham from Berwick Lib Dems, Cllr Maureen Rigg, group leader on Stockton Council, Mayor of Stockton Suzanne Fletcher MBE get their nails done.

Liberal Democrats have been discussing ways to involve more women, people with disabilities, black and minority ethnic people and lesbian and gay men, at their party conference in Brighton this week.

And leading female politicians from the North East including Stockton Mayor Suzanne Fletcher argue that it's all about living in the real world. Fiona Hall, the first Liberal Democrat Euro MP for the North East said:

"We want to make a point that you don't have to compromise being who you are, in order to be taken seriously in politics.

Councillor Carol Woods, parliamentary candidate for the City of Durham, who slashed the Labour majority at the General Election by 23,000 said:

"We should be actively encouraging people to get involved in politics not putting people off with stereotypes."