Webchat with Sandi Toksvig, co-founder of the Women's Equality Party, FRIDAY 10 July, 1pm

[BojanaMumsnet]

We’re pleased to announce that Sandi Toksvig will be joining us for a webchat this Friday 10 July at 1pm.

Sandi Toksvig OBE co-founded Women's Equality Party with Catherine Mayer in 2015. The aim of the Women’s Equality Party is to unite people of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, beliefs and experiences in the shared determination to see women to enjoy the same rights and opportunities as men so that everyone can flourish.

Sandi has been hosting British television and radio programmes for the last 35 years. She conceived the Playhouse Presents series on Sky Arts, is the current host of Channel 4’s 15-1 and is well known on Radio 4 particularly as former host of the News Quiz.

Please do join us on the day here for a live discussion from 1pm on Friday but if you can’t make it, leave your question for Sandi on this thread. As ever, please remember our webchat guidelines.

Thanks
MNHQ

[MrsHathaway]

SQUEE!

Ahem. Hopefully will be back with something more meaningful in due course. Meanwhile marking place for Friday.

[Oodear]

Ooh. Interesting.

Are you not concerned that having 'Womens' in the party name you may alienate men who would otherwise be part of the party?

[Oodear]

Although it also drew me to the party ...

[DoItTooJulia]

Love the idea and love Sandi, but I wonder why you don't stand for main stream party election and try and change things that way?

[HapShawl]

please could i ask how you came to decide on those six objectives and how you as a party plan to achieve them?

[hunkermunker]

Hello, Sandi

I was delighted to hear about #WE and hope it's a roaring success. I'd like to know what I can do to support the party, please.

Also, I think you've said you're not going to lead the party - why don't you want to and who will be leading it?

[hunkermunker]

Also, your sister is LOVELY.

[elephantoverthehill]

Dear Sandi,
Thank goodness you got a proper Mumsnet hair cut. It was well overdue. Who persuaded you?

[TrollTheRespawnJeremy]

Sandi- the woman who proves that women are allowed to be attractive, funny AND clever.

I enjoy what you do, but I'd like to know what makes you tick... Any books or documentaries that I should put onto my 'Must Read/View' list? (About any subject you fancy. )

[Theknacktoflying]

Perhaps I am missing a vital point, in that (for me at least) fairness is a bigger player for me than equality. Equality is all well and good, but it usually comes attached to the words 'quotas' and 'tokenism' and detracts from the essential idea that best suited and equipped for the job at hand should be chosen.

I think it is important to speak out against the violence and prejudice directed towards women.

How exactly are your aims going to be achieved?

[Outwith]

Marking my place for tomorrow .

[MardyBra]

Welcome to MN Sandi (another fawning fan here).

I love the idea of the WE party and its aims. However, I have doubts how successful it can be within the current FPTP system, as sadly I think the likelihood of getting any MPs elected would be slim - what with half the electorate being male and all that (albeit with some sympathetic to the cause). And sadly, good proportion of women voters don't identify with feminism (MN seems to have a weekly debate on this).

Also, in the event of a general election, many people would struggle to vote for a single-issue party as this would effectively mean they had no input on other key policy areas.

I realise that there are bigger, fundamental issues at stake regarding the structure and attitudes of our society and political institutions, but I wonder if you could explain how the WEP will be able to persuade sympathetic voters that their vote is any more than a wasted protest vote.

Thanks in advance.

[YonicScrewdriver]

I think the name of the party is a good one.

How will you go about increasing the breadth and depth of your policies - who is responsible for policy creation?

[Whatthefucknameisntalreadytake]

Would you like to come for tea at mine?

Ok don't count that as my question, but if you would like to come you'd be very welcome.

I think there are around 6 million trade union members in the uk, many of whom are disengaged from the parties that traditionally represented them. Will your party be attempting to work with the trade unions to raise its profile and support, as you seem to share many principles/aims?

Also would you like to come for tea at mine? Or we could meet somewhere public if you prefer although I promise I'm not very scary.

[Fatstacks]

Place marking and expressing undying adulation.

[Flingingmelon]

I'd like to know, will the WEP be working for all women or just left or right wing ones? I love the idea but I'm concerned that this may just be the 2009 lib dems with more vaginas

[fortyfide]

Sandi has a great speaking voice. I am pleased you have gone from game shows to something serious. Will you lose income due to the change. I suspect you will Good luck

[Backforthis]

I will miss you hosting The News Quiz so much.

I hope the 'equality' label will help avoid some of the predictable anti-feminist hate. Unfortunately there seems to be plenty to go around. Did you worry about putting your head above the parapet? Obviously the treatment of people like Stella Creasy and Caroline Criado-Perez is one of the reasons we need a Women's Equality Party.

[HapShawl]

I'll also really miss Sandi on TNQ - I love the stuff between her and Susan Calman especially

[Whatthefucknameisntalreadytake]

I still haven't listened to Sandi's last news quiz, I have it downloaded but can't bring myself to listen to it, because then it is really over :(

Basically Sandi and the news quiz team bring out the massive dick in me.

[Backforthis]

'I'm concerned that this may just be the 2009 lib dems with more vaginas hmm'

More vaginas and fewer arseholes hopefully.

[Holowiwi]

With the name The Woman's Equality party why would people of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, beliefs and experiences think your the party for them? Do you worry about appearing as a niche party with specific interests?

[HapShawl]

I'm not sure that half the population is really "niche" though

[BlueThursday]

I never felt I experienced inequality until I became a mother. My workplace is particularly mother unfriendly, and the largest obstacle I face is childcare.

What can be done to make childcare more affordable and accessible to allow mothers to work?