Councillor Alix Mathieson is one of East Dunbartonshire Council’s Elected Members and chairperson of the Conservative Women’s Organisation Scotland
There can be no doubt that the Scottish Conservatives must change. We have to stop complaining and pointing the finger and offer solutions on how we intend to fix the mess that has been created by 19 years of SNP rule.
It is not enough to rely on anger at our failing public services or the mismanagement of public funds. We need to offer Scotland something to address this. How do we, the Scottish Conservatives, plan to fix these things and right the wrongs?
We must stop the no to Indy Ref 2 mantra. Everyone knows we are in favour of the union – it’s in our name. The recent election has shown that we are not the only party that can beat the SNP. We were leapfrogged in some seats by parties who had been in third place last time round. We need to inspire people to vote for us.
Aspiration has long been a dirty word in Scotland and the SNP has done an excellent job of demonising those trying to better themselves, referring to people working as senior nurses, police officers, and tradesmen as “the richest in our society” in the Scottish Parliament regularly for having the audacity to earn more than £43,663.
Not to mention the vast difference in LBTT and stamp duty between north and south of the border, because heaven forbid someone wants to own their own house or aspires to have a bit more space for their growing family.
I grew up in social housing, my dad worked in Yarrow’s shipyards, and together my parents worked exceptionally hard to get to where they are today not only homeowners, thanks to the right to buy, but business owners have been able to remortgage to purchase a business through the equity homeownership had afforded them. Hard work should be rewarded not sneered at and it is time we tackled the politics of envy head-on.
The Conservative Party has always prided itself on being the party of opportunity, whether that is externally or internally. We have had female leaders and Prime Ministers, and we have had BAME representatives not only in the high offices of state but as the Prime Minister as well. The upcoming national leadership election has candidates from many diverse backgrounds showing the wealth of talent on offer and breaking down barriers in the process.
However, there can be no doubt that the Scottish Parliament is yet to look the same. Our parliament does not “look” like Scotland yet and that includes the Scottish Conservative group. How can we appeal to Scotland if we do not properly represent them?
As a local councillor and as chairperson of Conservative Women’s Organisation Scotland, I know we have a multitude of talent in our ranks, people ready to step up and serve Scotland in public office from all walks of life. People who come with expertise in education, business, finance, renewables, agriculture, and the NHS. However, we are failing to promote those people, and when it comes to women with these specialties, we are falling even further short.
Women make up just over 50 per cent of the population and yet only 29 per cent of the Scottish Parliamentary Party, 20 per cent of Scottish MPs, and just 25.7 per cent of our Councillors. We must ask ourselves why this is. Women face many barriers when it comes to standing for public office.
They are statistically more likely to have caring responsibilities which they feel will not be allowed for in the way they would be for other employers. We are also far more likely to face online abuse and for that abuse to be more violent or sexual. These are issues we need to tackle within the population and the Parliament/Local Authorities to educate and provide for our female candidates and elected members.
However, when it comes to the Scottish Conservatives what are we doing to encourage more women to stand? Groups like CWO and Women to Win, encourage capable women to become a candidates and help them through the process. However, all internal statistics show that women are less likely to be selected, simply because they are women.
I was asked in a selection meeting “How on earth will you manage with young children?” The question was disallowed, and I was told not to answer, but the damage was done, the idea was hanging in the air at that point.
Traditionally, I, like many Conservatives, was against quotas (which are present in several other parties). I did not want to get somewhere simply because I was a woman but because I was the best person for the job.
However, the longer I am involved in encouraging women to come forward the more I realised there are many men in the job simply because they are men and slowly, my mind is beginning to change on this. We have a power of work to do to change the attitudes of our members and to see more people from diverse backgrounds selected and elected.
My challenge to those seeking to be the next leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist party is: what are you going to do about it? Will you take brave and bold action to change things for the better? Offer the people of Scotland the right team for the job? Will you actively give Women greater opportunities in the party and if so, how?
Over many years we have been promised change on this and come up short. We need real action, not words. We need firm commitments and not loose taglines.
CWO Scotland has been reaching out to all candidates to hear what they have to say on the matter and their plans. One thing each should remember is that women are listening and watching intently. We can and must do better.
Councillor Alix Mathieson is one of East Dunbartonshire Council’s Elected Members and chairperson of the Conservative Women’s Organisation Scotland
There can be no doubt that the Scottish Conservatives must change. We have to stop complaining and pointing the finger and offer solutions on how we intend to fix the mess that has been created by 19 years of SNP rule.
It is not enough to rely on anger at our failing public services or the mismanagement of public funds. We need to offer Scotland something to address this. How do we, the Scottish Conservatives, plan to fix these things and right the wrongs?
We must stop the no to Indy Ref 2 mantra. Everyone knows we are in favour of the union – it’s in our name. The recent election has shown that we are not the only party that can beat the SNP. We were leapfrogged in some seats by parties who had been in third place last time round. We need to inspire people to vote for us.
Aspiration has long been a dirty word in Scotland and the SNP has done an excellent job of demonising those trying to better themselves, referring to people working as senior nurses, police officers, and tradesmen as “the richest in our society” in the Scottish Parliament regularly for having the audacity to earn more than £43,663.
Not to mention the vast difference in LBTT and stamp duty between north and south of the border, because heaven forbid someone wants to own their own house or aspires to have a bit more space for their growing family.
I grew up in social housing, my dad worked in Yarrow’s shipyards, and together my parents worked exceptionally hard to get to where they are today not only homeowners, thanks to the right to buy, but business owners have been able to remortgage to purchase a business through the equity homeownership had afforded them. Hard work should be rewarded not sneered at and it is time we tackled the politics of envy head-on.
The Conservative Party has always prided itself on being the party of opportunity, whether that is externally or internally. We have had female leaders and Prime Ministers, and we have had BAME representatives not only in the high offices of state but as the Prime Minister as well. The upcoming national leadership election has candidates from many diverse backgrounds showing the wealth of talent on offer and breaking down barriers in the process.
However, there can be no doubt that the Scottish Parliament is yet to look the same. Our parliament does not “look” like Scotland yet and that includes the Scottish Conservative group. How can we appeal to Scotland if we do not properly represent them?
As a local councillor and as chairperson of Conservative Women’s Organisation Scotland, I know we have a multitude of talent in our ranks, people ready to step up and serve Scotland in public office from all walks of life. People who come with expertise in education, business, finance, renewables, agriculture, and the NHS. However, we are failing to promote those people, and when it comes to women with these specialties, we are falling even further short.
Women make up just over 50 per cent of the population and yet only 29 per cent of the Scottish Parliamentary Party, 20 per cent of Scottish MPs, and just 25.7 per cent of our Councillors. We must ask ourselves why this is. Women face many barriers when it comes to standing for public office.
They are statistically more likely to have caring responsibilities which they feel will not be allowed for in the way they would be for other employers. We are also far more likely to face online abuse and for that abuse to be more violent or sexual. These are issues we need to tackle within the population and the Parliament/Local Authorities to educate and provide for our female candidates and elected members.
However, when it comes to the Scottish Conservatives what are we doing to encourage more women to stand? Groups like CWO and Women to Win, encourage capable women to become a candidates and help them through the process. However, all internal statistics show that women are less likely to be selected, simply because they are women.
I was asked in a selection meeting “How on earth will you manage with young children?” The question was disallowed, and I was told not to answer, but the damage was done, the idea was hanging in the air at that point.
Traditionally, I, like many Conservatives, was against quotas (which are present in several other parties). I did not want to get somewhere simply because I was a woman but because I was the best person for the job.
However, the longer I am involved in encouraging women to come forward the more I realised there are many men in the job simply because they are men and slowly, my mind is beginning to change on this. We have a power of work to do to change the attitudes of our members and to see more people from diverse backgrounds selected and elected.
My challenge to those seeking to be the next leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist party is: what are you going to do about it? Will you take brave and bold action to change things for the better? Offer the people of Scotland the right team for the job? Will you actively give Women greater opportunities in the party and if so, how?
Over many years we have been promised change on this and come up short. We need real action, not words. We need firm commitments and not loose taglines.
CWO Scotland has been reaching out to all candidates to hear what they have to say on the matter and their plans. One thing each should remember is that women are listening and watching intently. We can and must do better.