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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Lib Dems offer cash for women MPs | Lib Dems offer cash for women MPs |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Cash incentives are being offered to local Liberal Democrat parties who recruit women and people from ethnic minorities to stand for election. | Cash incentives are being offered to local Liberal Democrat parties who recruit women and people from ethnic minorities to stand for election. |
| Senior Lib Dems deny the plans amount to a bribe. They say action is needed because all of the party's 63 MPs are white and only nine are women. | Senior Lib Dems deny the plans amount to a bribe. They say action is needed because all of the party's 63 MPs are white and only nine are women. |
| Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell says a £200,000 first slice of a new fund is being offered now. | Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell says a £200,000 first slice of a new fund is being offered now. |
| It will be debated on the first day of the Lib Dem conference in Brighton. | It will be debated on the first day of the Lib Dem conference in Brighton. |
| The conference will also hear speeches from foreign affairs spokesman Michael Moore in the wake of the recent troop deaths in Afghanistan and continued questions about the UK's role in Iraq. | The conference will also hear speeches from foreign affairs spokesman Michael Moore in the wake of the recent troop deaths in Afghanistan and continued questions about the UK's role in Iraq. |
| And home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg, seen as a rising star, used his conference speech to accuse Labour of incompetence on crime and immigration. | |
| Mr Clegg told BBC News that Tony Blair had "gone on and on" about being tough but Home Office failures meant almost very aspect of the criminal justice system was not working. | Mr Clegg told BBC News that Tony Blair had "gone on and on" about being tough but Home Office failures meant almost very aspect of the criminal justice system was not working. |
| Past rejections | Past rejections |
| Delegates are being asked to ensure that making the Lib Dems more representative is one of the party's core priorities, alongside proportional representation in elections. | Delegates are being asked to ensure that making the Lib Dems more representative is one of the party's core priorities, alongside proportional representation in elections. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY It hardly matters what the Lib Dems' tax plans are Adrian, Chester Send us your comments | |
| In 2001 Lib Dems voted against having all-women shortlists when selecting election candidates. | |
| And last year the conference rejected proposals to make candidate shortlists represent the ethnic make-up of local communities. | And last year the conference rejected proposals to make candidate shortlists represent the ethnic make-up of local communities. |
| The party's only ethnic minority MP in the last parliament, Parmjit Singh Gill, was defeated at the general election. | The party's only ethnic minority MP in the last parliament, Parmjit Singh Gill, was defeated at the general election. |
| The new move comes as the Conservatives try to use an A-list of candidates to select more women and ethnic minority for winnable seats. | |
| Cash promise | Cash promise |
| Sir Menzies said the Lib Dem fund was "new money" given to the party for the specific task of recruiting women and people from ethnic minorities. | Sir Menzies said the Lib Dem fund was "new money" given to the party for the specific task of recruiting women and people from ethnic minorities. |
| "It will be worth several hundred thousand and we already have a first pledge of £200,000," he said. | "It will be worth several hundred thousand and we already have a first pledge of £200,000," he said. |
| "This will have a real impact on our representation at the next election. | "This will have a real impact on our representation at the next election. |
| "Over the next six months we will be launching initiatives and hosting events that will signal further steps along this path. | "Over the next six months we will be launching initiatives and hosting events that will signal further steps along this path. |
| "This is a message for those people who support the Liberal Democrats - and for those who don't - who think we aren't serious about getting more women and ethnic minority MPs into parliament. We are." | "This is a message for those people who support the Liberal Democrats - and for those who don't - who think we aren't serious about getting more women and ethnic minority MPs into parliament. We are." |
| 'Deadly serious' | 'Deadly serious' |
| Sir Menzies' chief of staff, MP Norman Lamb, told reporters: "It is not a bribe, it is an incentive. We are a democratic party. We are saying to people if you select an ethnic minority or woman candidate you will get access to this fund." | Sir Menzies' chief of staff, MP Norman Lamb, told reporters: "It is not a bribe, it is an incentive. We are a democratic party. We are saying to people if you select an ethnic minority or woman candidate you will get access to this fund." |
| He added: "Ming is deadly serious about making a difference here and making sure our party reflects British society. | He added: "Ming is deadly serious about making a difference here and making sure our party reflects British society. |
| "We want to change the look of our party and make sure ethnic minority and women are properly represented at a parliamentary level." | "We want to change the look of our party and make sure ethnic minority and women are properly represented at a parliamentary level." |
| Mr Lamb said the cash would be spent on campaigning in winnable seats - not just in the run up to a general election but over a period of years. | Mr Lamb said the cash would be spent on campaigning in winnable seats - not just in the run up to a general election but over a period of years. |
| The first money for the fund comes from the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, which campaigns for reform of the democratic system | The first money for the fund comes from the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust, which campaigns for reform of the democratic system |
| Gender charity the Fawcett Society praised the measure. | Gender charity the Fawcett Society praised the measure. |
| Director Katherine Rake said: "It is vital that the Liberal Democrats, along with all other political parties, do as much as possible to increase the number of women in Parliament and make MPs more representative of the people they serve." | Director Katherine Rake said: "It is vital that the Liberal Democrats, along with all other political parties, do as much as possible to increase the number of women in Parliament and make MPs more representative of the people they serve." |