Well – I’m going to Sheffield tonight as guest speaker at Nick Clegg’s local party’s Annual Dinner.
Befor the dinner, I will be doing a tour of Sheffield Domestic Abuse Partnership and meeting Community Justice Panels volunteers.
Having inherited the Violence Against Women and Girls portfolio a few weeks ago – I am very keen to hear how different parts of the country deal with Domestic Violence. These types of visits to the front line are always instructive as it is rare to go anywhere where you don’t pick up new thoughts and ideas and best practise.
Likewise – Community Justice Panels – as we move to hopefully a justice sysem that is effective not vindictive. It’s what works that matters.
Lynne Featherstone 
RT @lfeatherstone New post: Sheffield tonight http://tinyurl.com/2dzy7sg > looking forward to the dinner tonight, enjoy the rest of your day
Changing the subject from yesterday. I can hardly blame you.
The usual mix of trite comments, sloganising and self-aggrandisement though- I’m the guest speaker, my portfolio, effective not vindictive, it’s what works that matters etc.
We all know how keen you are to “hear” stuff so you can discount it.
I was stunned and horrified when a few years ago I first heard about the proportion of violent deaths which were connected with domestic violence and would like to know what those figures are now. At that time I was told that it is the norm for systematic violence to continue for a number of years before it was formally reported and that survivors of domestic violence and their families often suffer in silence.
Hats off to anyone who raises this issue, no matter who they are and where they do it. All the more so when they do so in such a public way. We must speak about this so that anyone who needs to speak out to keep themselves and their families safe feels that they can do so too. We need to encourage people to feel more comfortable speaking about this, and this is a good place to start.
Lynne, interesting that you are the guest speaker at Nick Clegg’s annual dinner – is that because Nick Clegg dare not show his face in Sheffield?
By the way, will you be doing a handshaking tour of the area or are you afraid that people will shout at you and accuse you (and Nick Clegg and the rest of your gang) of being a bunch of bare-faced liars who have ditched what little principle you used to have in exchange for a taste of power?
Why not call in to the university student union and see what they think about your u-turn on student tuition fees?
Just think of the shock-waves if you used this occasion as an opportunity to announce that you will be voting against the increased tuition fees! Stunned silence or standing ovation? Do it …
I think that Chicken Tonight is on the menu at Sheffield tonight.
There are occasions when I am ashamed of other members of my sex. You, Lynne, make a post about violence against women and girls and every male so far has avoided the subject and gone in for the sort of abuse that far too often emanates from men. I suppose that after this, they will post the same sort of negative comments that fail to face up to this issue under a fake woman’s name. If they can’t bring themselves to care for women victims of violence, perhaps they should remember Raoul Moat and how those who start off being violent to women can end up killing and blinding men. Thanks Lynne for raising the issue and thanks Marisha for a worthwhile comment on it.
Tim, why do you presume to know what the views of other contributors are on the subject of violence against women? Just because some of us choose to comment on the fact that Lynne is the guest speaker at Nick Clegg’s dinner rather than on her visit to the Sheffield Abuse Domestic Partnership does not mean that we are not concerned about such things. It is offensive of you to make that inference.
I think the policies now being put into effect by the coalition government will impact most heavily on women – as others have said – and, because they will lead to greater economic tension, fear, poverty and inequality, are likely to increase the incidence of violence against women.
Tim
I haven’t seen you comment on any of the numerous misosgynistic postings that get made on this blog. I have repeatedly done so. Had you done likewise at the time, I might have been happy to suffer a pompous lecture from you now.
What has happened here is that Lynne raised a subject of massive significance yesterday and has not replied to the many people urging her not to run away from the pledge that she signed. Instead in her customary way she has moved on to another issue which is obviously therefore the first thing people read on entering the blog.
I believe we are perfectly entitled to hold her to account on the issue of tuition fees whether you approve or not.
That’s just about the worst excuse I’ve heard for trying to silence people speaking up about violence against women: “a pompous lecture”! Whatever next! If when Lynne raises this vital issue she is shouted down by people concerned about some other issue, those who are likely to suffer are the women she is speaking up for.
Tim
What a load of tosh. There is only one person here who is trying to silence people and it ain’t me.
I’m a woman – and Lynne is my MP. She’s my hopeless MP. Anyone concerned with domestic violence should channel their efforts through the many worthwhile organisations which operate in this area and not concern themselves with the pretended efforts of an MP who gushes with glee when she is named as ‘fanciable’ in a political poll and ignores the many derogatory comments about women which appear on this blog. Lynne is fond of announcing that people ‘get it’ when she is pontificating about bath oil or hair gel or whatever but blog readers will note that she doesn’t ‘get it’ when it comes to women. She stands by a Budget which will greatly disadvantage women and disadvantage poorer women most of all. She may be putting on her ‘concerned’ face in Sheffield as I write but defender of women is one of her least convincing roles. Domestic violence is a hugely important issue – but this Government won’t help.
Tim, your basic logic is bizarre. It seems to be, essentially: “If you don’t raise an issue in your blog posting, it means you are not concerned about it, and are trying to silence people who are.”
I find it very difficult to engage with someone who takes this view. In all my postings here and elsewhere, I’ve never mentioned the plight of Mexican immigrants in the US. Does that mean I don’t care about them and am trying to silence those people who do?
The main thing I’m concerned about right now is that we have an extremely reactionary government which is destroying the welfare state and pursuing an economic and political strategy which will create mass unemployment, increase inequality and foster ill-health, social violence and ignorance.
These are the consequences of policies now being enthusiastically pursued by the government and supported by the likes of Lynne Featherstone.
Another night of being slaughtered at the local polls. Hope you and Nick cuddled up close to keep warm.
I wonder if they were joined by Lib Dem peer Lord Tim (Clement) Jones?
There was a stage in my life when I met women who had suffered domestic violence: the forearm full of badly healed broken bone; the bruising that ran from a black eye to below the jaw, the absolute terror resulting from savage threats from a violent man, etc. Lynne should be congratulated for raising this in his blog. Instead the comments seek to divert attention from it. Sexist violence is despicable, just like the racism exposed today, but well known to the Labour Party before today, in the Woolas judgment. Those attacking Lynne should look at this judgment, including the Labour leaflets attached to it, and see what their party’s leadership was prepared to tolerate. If people would only grasp the equal value of human beings regardless of sex or race, the world would be a much much better place.
Adam I’m not even related to Tim Clement Jones.
And of course you are not even a Lib Dem.
Oh and you are now talking about racism, Phil Woolas and the labour party which is totally unassociated with Lynne’s post. So it’s ok for you to do it but not for anyone else.
I’m at Sheffield Uni as well as being your constituent. You and Nick Clegg kept this visit very quiet. You’re not welcome on our campus and you’re not welcome near my house in Hornsey. You have no mandate. Resign!!