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Labour 'Big Footing' event, 2015-2-25

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0014/SOBA 5/1/24

Scope and Contents

Interviews on Harrian Harman's pink bus, including with Harman, and members of her team Sally Gimson, from the Labour List website, and Ann Sinnott a Cambridge Councillor.

As described by the depositor:

We asked Harriet, how many places her pink bus would be visiting and why the colour of the bus had provoked so much criticism? She spoke of how important the women’s vote was to her party. Harriet told us:

“There has been a lot of controversy about the colour, but I can’t really regard it as negative publicity because how can you have a debate about something so insignificant. As we have gone around the Country, women are concerned, not about the colour, but about what is going on in women’s lives and what local government and national government can do for them. The women’s vote is very important to Labour and for women to vote. Last time in 2010, 9.1 million didn’t vote. I think it is important that we hear women’s voices that women have their say and exercise their vote. Politics is too important to be left to the boys.”

Sally Gimson, from the Labour List website, said: “People are hooting on the motorway as the pink bus goes by. It has been mocked but not viciously attacked. It has made people look at women’s issues. All publicity is good publicity. The cost of living, people’s income, child care, DV, the grooming of children, sexual harassment, are big issues for women as well. The battle has not yet been won for women and that is why we are out on the pink bus.”

Ann Sinnott, a Labour City Councillor since May 2014, said: “I was delighted with the pink bus and there is nothing wrong with the colour. The mediation service we visited, do very good work, and there were other representatives there working with vulnerable women and women with DV. It costs the police huge amounts of money each year, it is costly and there is a human cost too. DV is the biggest crime anywhere.”

Dates

  • Creation: 2015-2-25

Creator

External Documents

Repository Details

Part of the Churchill Archives Centre Repository

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