Nimco Ali standing as an MP for WEP

[PhoenixJasmine]

I found this news in my inbox this morning. I thought it would be good to discuss it here - given that Nimco Ali is generally held in pretty high regard around these parts, whereas WEP.... isn't . I don't know if they have any other candidates standing elsewhere and clearly have pretty much no chance of any of them being elected. Would you vote for Ali if she stood in your area? I have to say despite my distrust and severe disappointment with WEP (including withdrawing my founding membership) if a high profile feminist campaigner whom I deeply respected stood in my area... I may send my vote their way as long as my vote wasn't otherwise needed tactically to keep the Tory candidate out.

I don't know, PhoenixJasmine. I'd be tempted to vote for her, like you. But find I can no longer support the WEP. On balance, probably wouldn't do it as I can't accept the WEP's fudging of gender and sex. If she ran as an independent, I'd vote for her in a heartbeat.

Labour's position on gender (below) confirmed my decision not to vote for them either. So I suppose it's a consistent position. But an unhappy one to be in.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-trans-transgender-policy-equality-act-aggravated-offence-outdated-langauge-a7729666.html

I am really struggling with this GE. It's the first one that's happened since I got my citizenship last year and I want to use my vote but I can't in good conscience vote for anyone. I live in a safe seat anyway but it's still difficult.

Long-winded way of agreeing with you sticklebrix

She is magnificent and has been involved with the WEP for some time I think (possibly since their creation). She has also spoken about how ridiculous some of those who label themselves "intersectional feminists" are now and also cosigned this: www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2015/feb/14/letters-censorship

I think I'm right in saying she's been accused of being a "TERF" and even of "white feminism" () before. I think I'd vote for her if I got the chance (when old enough to vote), though my constituency is one of the most marginal in the country between Labour and the Conservatives. We've already had a couple of Tories on the doorstep, as well as the candidate herself, but my mum scared her off with angry challenge about the NHS.

I would vote for her. WEP might not be perfect (the conflation of gender and sex being a big issue which other parties all see to be doing too) but it is at least acknowledging the problems of violence towards women, the way the burden of care always falls to women and the way women are portrayed in the media. I think, as well, the WEP are well aware they'll never get a majority but they hope they'll get enough of a following for the bigger parties to adopt some of their policies. I might not agree with them on everything but then I've never agreed on everything with the other parties I've voted for in the past either.

the conflation of gender and sex being a big issue which other parties all see to be doing too

Indeed. Makes it so dangerous and makes me conflicted about the WEP (I like a lot of what they're arguing for and think they have an important role to play). On the one hand, it's difficult for them, and maybe they're being judged more harshly than the other parties who are complicit in this conflation and enacting dangerous policies as a result of it. On the other, it's exactly because the other parties are doing so a "women's" party needs to oppose this and be clear about the issue. Then again, if you'd vote for another party who's doing so, is it a reason not to for the WEP? I'm not sure but it is disappointing they've gone along with it all.

the WEP are well aware they'll never get a majority but they hope they'll get enough of a following for the bigger parties to adopt some of their policies.

Very much so and I think that's a positive aim. They weren't hugely far away from getting a seat on the GLA last year but it'll of course always be difficult for them to be elected anywhere. It's more to show how many feel strongly about these issues and I think in Liverpool the WEP candidate helped get the main party's candidates to sign their pledge promising to build a strategy to combat VAWG if elected.

'If she ran as an independent, I'd vote for her in a heartbeat.'

This.
Very much admire her but am not voting for a 'women's' party that works against women.

I'm actually local, and I'd strongly disagree with voting for Nimco, despite her excellent work against FGM.

The sitting MP, Catherine West, is about as pro-women as you could get. Her maiden speech in 2015 touched on FGM, but also the housing crisis and inequality in society. She's publicly campaigned against Yarl's Wood (the Home Office banned her from the centre) and has put out an election leaflet holding a "refugees welcome here" sign - a brave move in this climate, even in London. She was my local councillor for a few years and was excellent (she now represents the neighbouring constituency) and a proud, vocal feminist. Having seen her as a councillor I know she did the thankless 'grunt work' and I was delighted when she became an MP in 2015. Regardless of party she's the sort of person you need in politics - very much in the Jo Cox mould.

I cannot see the point of the WEP standing against her. Aside from Philip Davies, the WEP are only standing against Labour candidates, none of them misogynists like him.

Also, in 2015 Nimco Ali was one of the most prominent campaigners for the then sitting MP, and her friend, Lynne Featherstone. You can see Nimco Ali's campaign leaflet here. It was an extremely hard-fought and often bitter campaign. Less than two year's later she's suddenly a convert to the WEP? Nope, not buying it.

Ooops, sorry for the double posting. Link is correct in the second one.

Nimco Ali is fantastic, but I wouldn't vote for her, whatever party she stood for, because a lot of her political inclinations and allegiance appear to be basically Tory Lite, and I would not be willing to vote for any candidate like that.

And I wouldn't vote for any WEP candidate in Hornsey and Wood Green, even if they weren't Tory Lite, because it's massively politically stupid, if you are a women's party only putting up four candidates, to try and split the vote in a manner which may result in one of the most feminist MPs out there, Catherine West, losing her seat. (I've got some very strong political differences with West, particularly on gender issues, but she's basically decent.) There are tons and tons of constituencies out there with MPs who don't give a shit about women's issues - why not go up against them?