Hundreds of women met at the weekend to discuss the effects of austerity on the world’s largest “minority,” as activists prepare for the upcoming People’s Assembly national conference.
In the opening speech of the Women’s Assembly Against Austerity conference on Saturday, former Labour youth minister Dawn Butler said: “In my career, I was often told I would not progress because I didn’t have a penis.”
The assembly was kicked off by trade unionists and politicians including Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, Scottish TUC assistant secretary Ann Henderson and TUC equality and employment rights head Sarah Veale.
Working-class women lead the fight for fair work and equitable pay and against sexual harassment, the rise of the far right and years of failed austerity policies, writes ROZ FOYER
Labour will find increases in the state pension age are unacceptable, just as cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance, personal independence payments and universal credit are — it needs to change direction immediately, writes PCS general secretary FRAN HEATHCOTE
CLIVE HASWELL introduces the latest edition of Cardiff’s left-wing conference, which will take a broad and non-sectarian approach to who the left should vote for, welcoming approaches from all major progressive parties that hope to transform the world
In the current climate, it is vital to bust the myths and put forward the case for a humane and decent social security system that supports people, argues FRAN HEATHCOTE


