Dr. Michelle Maher:

Yes. I heard what was being said about Independents. We have a lot of women who are not in political parties and are not sure if they are going to join a political party who are contemplating the Independent route. This is why it was so important that there was a guidebook for the first time with all of the practical information that was perhaps retained within political parties or political families and which is now available to everybody. It opens up the ability for women to consider running as Independents because they have all of that information in one publication.

On ageism, we only need to look at Nancy Pelosi across the sea to see that older women are well able to be part of the cut and thrust of politics. Something we would hear in our workshops was women saying they are a bit old for it. That is why we put so much of an emphasis on campaign teams, because older women, whatever their reasons, may not feel that becoming a county councillor is for them right now. What they do have is a wealth of experience and local knowledge going back over time that makes them valuable people to have on campaign teams to help women get elected. Any older woman - I would probably include myself in that now - who has survived teenagers and the menopause is well able to survive being in a county council.