Pages

Thursday 22 January 2015

Farage, Ramsgate Round Table & Testosterone Fueled Misogyny

Green Party election candidate for South Thanet , Ian Driver,  declined an invitation to speak at a parliamentary hustings  meeting held in Broadstairs last night because it was men only.
The meeting, organised by the Ramsgate Round Table, was attended by UKIPs Nigel Farage, Tory Craig McInlay and LibDem Russ Timpson. 
“Whilst I have great admiration for the work of the Round Table  and  their charitable fundraising, my principles do not allow me to  attend hustings events which exclude  women, men, disabled people, minority ethnic groups or LGBT  people” said Driver.
UKIP’s Nigel Farage  appeared to be making fun of Driver (and Labour’s absent candidate who failed to provide organisers with an explanation for his no-show)  by tweeting a photo  showing defaced pictures of the absent  candidates in front of their  empty seats.
“I provided a full explanation for my non-attendance to the Ramsgate Round Table” said Driver. “If Farage and the Round
Table think standing up for women’s equality is funny and something to make joke about then I pity them”.
“It’s a well known fact that UKIP and Farage are less than sympathetic to gender equality  issues , but I am very surprised and disappointed by the actions of the  Round Table. Despite their claim to be a non-political organisation, their juvenile  prank with the defaced  pictures of the absent candidates, was an effort to ridicule my principled decision not to  speak at a men only hustings meeting. Their response suggests to me that they might share UKIPs testosterone fuelled misogyny” Thanet Round Table appear to me o be #solastcentury. 
 “Women in South Thanet earn on average £107 per week less than men. They are more likely to be living in poverty than men. They face the highest rates of domestic violence in Kent. To exclude them from a meeting of parliamentary hopefuls who may be legislating on issues which will effect women  is frankly unfair, especially when they make up a majority (51.8%) of Thanet’s  population”.
Its time that Farage, McInlay, Timpson and Ramsgate Round Table stopped being so last century and accept that gender equality is a serious matter.
Last summer Driver’s daughter Suzie launched a one-girl, disguised  protest outside Broadstair’s  men-only Comrades Club.



14 comments:

  1. You sound just like David Cameron avoiding the TV debate issue

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well said Ian! Bunch of bigoted fools who seem to think singling people out is acceptable. I find it incredibly insulting.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've seen that man in the photograph before somewhere? I seem to remember him passing a brown envelope to another bloke?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh btw Ian, I forgot to mention - If the Roundtablers would like to donate some cash for our "Gay In Thanet Seaside Shelter Restoration Appeal" I would be grateful if a representative would kindly contact me via the email address on my profile page on my blog. Thanks ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well said Ian who is the Chair of the RoundTable organising this sort of masonic misogny and defacing the photos when perfectly fair explanation was given?

    Is it always men only?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Er, if you go to the men's one it is. However the women's groups have women in them. Amazing.

      Delete
    2. Er, why are there men or women only Roundtables? That's the point of Ian's sexism comments. While on the girl Guides point below they have their own organisation because it was boys only at first and they wanted to do boys stuff and girls stuff. Some of the activities such as sport would be more biased to physically stronger boys. Hence as adults there are women football teams etc. That isn't sexist but men only groups for business/politics is - why is there a need for that in the 21st century?

      I certainly wouldn't join the Roundtable if there is this weird men only groups, regardless of the childish candidate photos activity.

      Delete
  6. That has to be the lamest excuse yet for not standing up and explaining yourself to the electorate.

    Have you been taking lessons in avoiding debates from Mr Cameron?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anoymous 14:19 - what a snide little remark. Thank god there are local politicians like Ian who are willing to stand up for equality. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. erm do you think "cast iron dave" is standing up for equality by not not taking part in the TV debates then ??

      Delete
  8. Girl guides is girls only...Why because they don't want to do boy stuff and end up being scouts...
    Would you turn down a request by the girl guides to turn up to debate night?

    Are you also aware the Roundtable do have women branches.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Total cop out.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Why did you accept their invitation in the first place then pull out on the day?

    ReplyDelete
  11. You accepted first - but discovered your "principles" at the last moment.

    ReplyDelete