Women’s Equality Party candidate stands for first time in Milton Keynes Council elections

Jane Whild is one of five candidates standing for one available seat at Campbell Park and Old Woughton ward at the borough elections on Thursday, May 2.

“To achieve equality we must increase the proportion of women councillors from one in three to one in two,” said Jane, who works at the Open University. “Then we must have equal representation because at the moment the voices and views of male councillors does prevail.”

She says that government policies have been bad for women and she is calling on provision for families and carers to be supported.

“We need to have a budget for women, and assessments carried out on the impact on women,” she said.

“We have to look at the way the council works, the way it make decisions and to encourage diversity because diversity on committees and groups leads to fairer decisions and more equal outcomes.

“If I get elected, I would trail-blaze for more diverse women to join me on our council, improving representation for everyone.”

The Women’s Equality Party was co-founded in 2015 by author and journalist Catherine Mayer and broadcaster and author Sandi Toksvig. The Milton Keynes branch was founded in 2016 with Jane as a founding member.

The full list of candidates standing for election in the Campbell Park and Old Woughton ward is: Carol Barac (Green); Adan Jama Kahin (Labour), Peter Thomas McDonald (Conservative – seeking reelection); Paul Duncan Trendall (Lib Dem Focus Team) and Jane Deborah Whild (Women`s Equality Party).