A question of balance

AS WALESHOME.ORG reflected back in August, the issue of gender representation in the National Assembly is becoming an increasingly significant topic.

The launch of IWA Women last night has prompted a busy debate on the issue in the columns of the Western Mail as well as on the blogosphere in Wales in different posts. And rightly so.

Edwina Hart - positive

“The Labour Party have decided not to go down the positive action route this time. It’s now very important that women do everything they can either to be selected or reselected as Assembly candidates and then we as a Party must work flat out to make sure that all Labour candidates irrespective of gender are elected as a Members. I am proud that the Assembly has always had from the very beginning equal voices for both men and women. That’s very important to me as it represents the kind of modern Wales that I want to lead. I will work hard for this to continue and become enshrined in the day to day work of the Assembly

“If I am elected as First Minister I will of course be in a strong position to provide a counter-balance if there is a gender equality deficit in the next Assembly.”