One of the few I saw live was the excellent Lynne Featherstone.
The video can be watched here (available until Saturday 24th September) and read here.
To be brutally honest she seemed a bit nervous at the very start. Of course, this was the first speech from an MP of the conference, therefore it was probably right that at the start she was a bit more general than some other ministers were.
I think the main reason I like her is her passion, I know it is her role but I do really feel that when she started talking about the oppression of women and others she really does care. I think I am also impressed by people who don't waver from their contact with their audience, especially when she was listing names and places where one could forgive her for forgetting the details.
I think it was also very brave of her to use the F word - Feminist. Quite wrongly it appears that this word has become almost tainted over recent times, that it no longer stands for what it once did. However equal rights should never be a bad subject, I am proud that it is a Liberal Democrat from the Government speaking like this. She is also spot on when she says "now is the time" for women's rights in these countries, they have a taste of fighting for what they want, they need to continue their momentum and we should be supporting that.
I was pleased when she moved on from talking about women - don't get me wrong, that's a major part of her role, but as Equalities Minister it should be a given that she is championing anyone who is being discriminated against.
It was pleasing that the Government will be launching a formal consultation on how to implement equal civil marriage for same sex couples - that doesn't sound certain that legislation will be forthcoming, but her overall speech implies that it will be. Lynne is spot on - this is why I became a Liberal Democrat!
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