100 Years of Women Councillors - Lib Dem Islington leads the way! (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

100 Years of Women Councillors - Lib Dem Islington leads the way!

October 31, 2007 4:46 PM

Mayor of Islington Cllr Barbara Smith and Deputy Leader Cllr Lucy Watt (front right of the Mayor) celebrate 100 years of women councillors - with the Islington Lib Dem women councillors.

Back in November 1907, women were permitted to stand as councillors for the very first time in the UK. 100 years on, the London Borough of Islington can celebrate being the only council in the country where more than half of the elected members are female, and the Lib Dem group is the only majority female, controlling group in the UK.

On the Council as a whole 26 out of 48 councillors are women, and 16 (two thirds) of the 24 Liberal Democrat councillors are female. A real achievement when across the UK as a whole only a third of all councillors are female.

Cllr Lucy Watt, Deputy Leader of Islington Council, said: "I am really proud that so many women have been elected to the Council here in Islington, but it is a real shame that 100 years on from the date when women were first able to stand as councillors, that Islington is the only council in the country where women outnumber men.

"Many women feel very passionately about their local communities, and have all of the skills and experience you need to run councils, relate to voters and deliver change, but men continue to dominate positions of power, both locally and nationally, and this really has to change.

"Women often need more encouragement to stand for election, and here in Islington we have headhunted good female candidates, and shown them that you do not have to be a white, middle aged, middle class, heterosexual man to succeed in politics. This action has resulted in a brilliant team - and other council groups need to learn from what we have done."