MEP Vicky Ford visits Newton Green

Vicky Ford

Yesterday the South Suffolk Conservative Women's Committee held its AGM at Newton Green Golf Club and the Guest Speaker was one of our Conservative MEP's. for the East of England, Vicky Ford.

As usual Vicky gave some fascinating insights into life in Brussels, explaining how difficult negotiations between different countries can be behind the scenes.  She illustrated for example the problems that arise when individual countries try to solve their domestic problems by introducing legislation in Brussels that would be better enacted locally.

Inevitably a number of lunch guests asked Vicky questions that expressed their disatisfaction with our membership of the EU.

It is clear that, like many Conservatives, Vicky sees her job as working within a system that she does not very much like.  She obviously believes that David Cameron's stance on Europe, moving towards a renegotiated position and then holding a referendum, is the right one. 

I think that, if possible,  she would prefer to see an 'In/Out' referendum before the next election, but this would simply not be tolerated by the Liberal Democrats.  In any event, it will take some time to untangle and redefine our relationship with the EU.  This is now an easier task, since members of the Eurozone have already moved closer together in the face of financial pressures, leaving other countries needing to clarify their position.

Vicky commented that she was disappointed at the absence of UKIP from many of the sessions of the European Parliament, and also from important committees.  Instead of standing up for Britain's interests like other UK MEP's, it seems that they would rather be propping up one of the many bars around the Grand Place!

All in all it was a very interesting session and one that encouraged me to think that the EU's influence in the UK may well be on the wane, which is encouraging.

First woman parliamentary candidate in Suffolk.

I am very pleased to read this morning that Suffolk at last has the chance of electing a female Member of Parliament.
Therese Coffey, who currently lives in Hampshire and works for the BBC, has won the nomination to be the Parliamentary Candidate for Suffolk Coastal. I see from her website that she used to work for the US confectionary company, Mars. I have a good friend who also worked for the company and know that they do not tolerate slouches so I am sure that she will work very hard for her constituents.
I have been concerned at the failure of female and local candidates to get anywhere in these candidate selection competitions. Now at least the female box has been ticked!
I hope that Therese will find time later in the year to come and talk to the South Suffolk Conservative Women’s Group (organised by women, but men always welcome at meetings!)

Woman calling women!

During the spin-fest that was the G20 Summit last week I was really bowled over by one event. This was the speech that Michelle Obama gave to pupils and staff at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School in Islington. Her advice to her mostly female audience was basically that it is ‘cool to be smart’, to work hard, not to skip classes. If you do this, she implied, you too could become the First Lady! (or even perhaps the first President of the USA).

You can hear some of the speech if you click on the link below:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/business/2009/g20/7980476.stm

Michelle Obama concluded part of her speech by saying that once you have followed her advice, worked hard and done well then you should:-

‘Reach back and help someone just like you to do the same thing’.

This really resonated with me because so often women do not help one another to get on in life, and I find this disappointing. Actually when I worked in the City we were so few that it wasn’t really an issue. Women there seemed to understand the old saying from Tobago that ‘Blowing out the other person’s candle will not make yours shine brighter’. However, the world of politics is something different. Women have seemed adept at extinguishing other women’s hopes.

The Conservative Party in this country has a reputation of being the home of a cadre of formidable ‘blue rinses’ in the shires who regularly fail to select women as candidates. The number of women MP’s in the Conservative ranks is disgracefully low. At Babergh District Council there are only seven women out of 43 councillors (and it shows!).

However things are changing, at least at the national level. David Cameron has worked hard to make sure that a good proportion of women candidates are elected. Vicky Ford, number three on the list of MEP candidates, was actually selected in the number 4 position. You may not think that this was right, but she was actively promoted because of the need to field some women who had some chance of becoming Members of the European Parliament.

I think some people are aware that I am the Chairman of the South Suffolk Conservative Women’s Organisation. On Thursday of last week we had our AGM and we were lucky enough to be addressed by the Chairman of the National Organisation, Pauline Lucas. She gave an inspirational speech too, telling us how the Conservative Party in general, and the Women’s Organisation in particular, is encouraging women to participate in political life.

It would be really nice to find some women out there who would like to put themselves forward for public office. Of course, if you are a Conservative that would be even better.

Do give it some thought.