Where is the Party of Women?

[Womenz]

Maybe I’m wrong but as far as I remember the big message at the last election was that the Party of Women were in it for the long haul, but they don’t seem to be anywhere in this election? All I can find is Bev White running in Huntingdon. Why didn’t Kellie Jay Keen run? Doesn’t she always win?

I guess they achieved what they wanted with the increased awareness and Supreme Court ruling?

It would be odd for that PoW to stand when Labour are getting hammered and Kemi is leading a major party

Did they close the party down following the Supreme Court ruling? I thought they wanted to repeal the GRA

Maybe not enough women took on to do the work of being a political party!

They imploded as their version of women included male women. They were shit and achieved nothing.

I think you may be thinking of WEP there. Different thing entirely.

Haha there is no way the Party of Women imploded from allowing men in

They were so preoccupied being handmaidens to men ... they forgot their remit.

No that’s not correct!! This is Kellie Jay Keens party- she’s no handmaiden

KJK has gone all in for the Reform, Restore and Tommy Robinson lot.

Well these women did!
https://www.partyofwomen.org/our-candidates

Not sure any one can point the finger if themselves wouldn't want to do it.

Whatever the reason it didn't take off as a grass roots women's political campaign, you cant expect a small group of women, unsupported by other women to keep on going.

Surely the question is why did so many women not get involved.

Oh noo! I’m so sorry. I did get confused.

Seeing the kind of verbal, emotional and physical abuse KJK (and anyone who associates with her) gets, I am hardly surprised we're not all falling over ourselves to stand as candidates.

It has been a very different experience campaigning for the General Election and in local elections.

Most people are either startled to learn what has been going on or are aware and are supportive.

Most pushback we got in Walker, where I was standing, was when residents mistook our pink rosettes 🌸 for red Labour rosettes🌹 and changed their tune when we explained that we were campaigning for Party of Women and gave them leaflets.

This is an area that has been solid Labour since before dinosaurs roamed the earth!

Twice, local residents who lived in blocks of flats that were intercom-entry stopped to speak to us, were 100% in support and offered to take our leaflets and post them through letterboxes of their neighbours inside the block.

It has been similar when we have done Let Women Speak Table Events around the North East - even in Durham City (lots of posh male students in frocks wandering around) and Hexham (very middle class and woke).

It is KJK's presence that brings out the SWP-front "Anti-Racism" mob that organises the "Antifa" and "Trans Rights" lunatic protesters, supported by Lib Dems, Greens, Unions, etc.

There is also statutory protection for political candidates and police across the UK have designated officers to deal with any threats or intimidation.

It is a whole different scene to LWS Events attended by KJK.

Busy supporting Reform no doubt.

🙄

You can only stand in a local election when there is a local election where you live. There are no local elections due where KJK lives until 2029. KJK has been supporting POW Candidates in the May 7th Local Elections.

With the next GE in 3 years - or maybe sooner - wouldn't now be the time for those who think there should be a POW candidate for them to vote for in their constituency think well maybe I should do it?

These were council elections, I would have thought they are aiming to have candidates ready for the next general election

My post was more about asking were are POW and saying it will be where women who want it enough take on to do it.

If you are someone who hasn't or wont in the future then not sure you can complain.

I hope that I can encourage women to stand in the next General Election but local elections are good practice in the meantime. They also help to raise the awareness of constituents that Party of Women exists and they prompt women to offer support.

This has happened each time that I have stood for election: women previously unknown to me have got in touch and asked how they can help now or next time.

A General Election is easier in some ways in that every candidate is entitled to free delivery by Royal Mail of one leaflet to every address in the constituency where a member of the household is on the Electoral Register. So no need to trudge the streets pushing leaflets through letter-boxes.

I have got a reminder in my Calendar every Monday to check the Newcastle upon Tyne Council website page where they list Notices of any by-elections I can stand for - which can be any Ward in the City, not just my own. That applies across the UK:

Local Elections: Qualifications and disqualifications for standing for election
www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-candidates-and-agents-local-government-elections-england/what-you-need-know-you-stand-a-candidate/qualifications-and-disqualifications-standing-election

There is always a very tight timetable from a by-election Notice of Vacancy to getting Nomination forms in so you need to be prepared to move quickly.

This list shows upcoming by-elections across the UK:
https://opencouncildata.co.uk/byelections.php

Things women can do now:

• Take out membership of Party of Women if you are not already a member: https://www.partyofwomen.org/memberships
• Complete the POW "Become a Candidate" Form: www.partyofwomen.org/become-a-candidate
• Check that list to see if there is a by-election coming up in your area.
• Find the Election Notices page on your Council website (and check it every week).
• Find two people to nominate you (they must live or work in the Ward where you are standing)
• Ask friends, family, Let Women Speak members within travelling distance to support you, eg. help deliver leaflets.
• Find someone to be your election agent - or decide to do it yourself
• The rules about the Election Agent's Office Address are quite complicated: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-candidates-and-agents-local-government-elections-england/what-you-need-know-you-stand-a-candidate/appointing-your-election-agent-and-other-agents/appointing-election-agent
• Previous POW Candidates and KJK will support you. ❤️

There is also lots of advice online, eg. from the Local Government Association, from "ElectHer", etc.

Very useful break down.

Thanks

Is Party of Women moving on without Kellie Jay? @POWNewcastleEastWallsend
She hasn’t mentioned pow in the last couple of years

She hasn’t mentioned pow in the last couple of years.

So you don't watch her livestreams? 🤔

That said, she has lots of fish to fry and gives her undivided attention to different projects when needed.

KJK is Leader of the Party of Women. That's an official thing, not an "Identify as . . . " thing.

Candidates are in daily contact with KJK but she does not micromanage. Her leadership style is as an enabler, as is very evident from the whole ethos of Let Women Speak.

Personally, I have have received a lot of support from Kellie-Jay. It had not occurred to me that it might appear from the outside as if she was not involved with POW Candidates' campaigns in the local elections. Her lack of visibility is primarily because there were no elections where she lives.

I hope that helps to explain how Kellie-Jay is at the centre of Party of Women. During the recent local elections it was POW Candidates who, obviously, were the face of Party of Women locally where we were standing.

Other parties have been criticised for making the local elections all about the Party Leader. I have only seen that locally with the Green Party, when one of the many GP leaflets and magazines that fell through my letter box was pretty much all about Zack Polanski with the local candidates being an afterthought.

At least no one can levy that criticism at Kellie-Jay.

In case anyone reading this is unaware, the reason POW Members and Candidates post on Mumsnet, rather than Kellie-Jay herself, is that she not on Mumsnet. She was permanently banned in 2018, during the Great Banning Spree that silenced so many women who were speaking out about the Conservative Government's Consultation on reform of the Gender Recognition Act.

Was that KJK's party?

Could it be because last year they didn't get enough votes to get back their deposit?

Or that KJK got less votes than an independent trans woman?

IIRC didn't one or two of them get in trouble with the police?

Try reading the thread and you will get your answer, rather than wildly speculating in a suspiciously negative fashion

👆

In fairness to KJK , I think one of her kids has had suspected sepsis recently, which will have meant she's had more important stuff to deal with.