(and follow-up post here)

A comment from one of my f-list today:

Also, miss_s_b? Am very much considering joining the Liberal Democrats party, but I can't find anything anywhere about their stance on women's rights. (Any stance, from rights in the workplace through to abortion rights, etc.) Point me in the direction of some info, yes/no? (:

Now, I admit, I haven't spent a lot of time on the main Lib Dem website, but is this for real? Is there REALLY nothing on there specifically about women's rights? Jo Crispy-Strips talked about this a few weeks ago, but I naively assumed that something would have been done by now! I mean, I know there's the assumption that we're all Liberals and equality means equality, but come on guys (and yeah Mark, Will, Lib Dem websitey folks, you are GUYS), if this is putting off potential members, can we please not do something about it? Can we not have a little thing in the sidebar called "equality" and it linking to our stance? Can't we put the bit from the preamble to the constitution on the back of our membership cards on there? Because that would be a GREAT hook.

The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.

Every Lib Dem carries that around in their pockets. Simon Hughes held it up proudly and recited it from memory at conference, just before the leader's speech. But how many NON-Lib Dems know about that? Why is that not front and centre on the website? On ALL our websites?

(I gave her the link http://www.genderbalance.org.uk/, just in case you're wondering)

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In other Lib Demmery news, Ros Scott has the best reaction to the Mandelson furore:

You'll forgive me for not being to get too excited about the appointment of Lord Mandelson of Guacamole to the second chamber - Europe's loss is our loss.