Swinson brings her campaign for women to city students (Cambridge Liberal Democrats)

Cambridge Liberal Democrats <camlibdems@gmail.com>

Swinson brings her campaign for women to city students

January 20, 2010 11:35 AM

Jo Swinson

Campaigning Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson who is fighting for a better deal for women, will be in Cambridge tomorrow (Thursday).

She will be speaking to university students about her Real Women policy which is backed by the party's Cambridge parliamentary candidate, Julian Huppert.

He said: "We have made great headway in equality in this country; but women still face struggles daily trying to juggle their home lives and jobs.

"Women still get paid less than men in many areas of work and they often have responsibility for child care as well as looking after elderly relatives.

"There is so much more the government could do to make their lives easier. This policy sets out some fundamental changes which could make a real difference."

Ms Swinson will be talking to students from Churchill and Trinity Colleges at an event organised by Castle ward county councillor, Belinda Brooks-Gordon and attended by Cambridge MP, David Howarth.

Her Real Women policy calls for:

• companies to publish data on the pay scales within their organisations and conduct pay audits;

• a 'name blanking' policy so that job applicants apply with National Insurance numbers;

• modules on body image, health and well-being, and media literacy to be taught in schools;

• action to tackle body image pressure by requiring advertisers to label all adverts, disclosing the extent of digital retouching of images of people;

Ms Swinson said: "There's a lot the Government could do to give a helping hand.

"Making employers check for pay discrimination would help women get the money they deserve. And it would be nice to inject some realism into the media's portrayal of women, instead of the suggestion that nothing less than perfection will do."

Councillor Brooks-Gordon said: "I am delighted that Jo can take time out of her busy schedule to come and talk to the students of Cambridge.

"This is a vitally important policy which gives women the recognition they deserve. For too long, women have struggled to cope with the demands of their everyday lives in a society which fails time and time again to recognise their valuable contributions."