Tim's Council Diary: Wearing Orange

An email arrives from District Council Chair Abena Akuffo-Kelly prior to the Folkestone & Hythe District Council full Council meeting this week:

"Full Council takes place during 16 days of activism and therefore I would like to request that people wear orange if they wish to. I shall be wearing orange on the day. During my chair's communications I will make a note of the fact that the meeting is being held during the 16 days of activism and will ask for a one-minute silence or some show of support to end violence against women and girls.

"To my mind those that have been killed or abused due to this pervasive and insidious violence have been silenced. I want to give voice to their suffering and the resilience of those who are still suffering so I will stand to clap. I will also get my minister to refer to VAWG in her sermon. I know that this is not normal procedure but unfortunately VAWG is normal procedure for many women and it should not be hidden."

You can learn more about the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign at:

https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/unite/16-days-of-activism

I'm not going to turn down the chance to either support that cause, or wear orange. It's very much my colour.

Also, I rarely comment on national, or international, politics in this diary: its not really what I'm writing it for. I even try to avoid watching things like Question Time on TV most of the time: its simply not good for my blood pressure. But I wanted to give a mention to Layla Moran for simply one of the best interventions I've seen on Question Time for ages.

Speaking on the situation in Gaza, Layla - who is Palestinian by birth - was clearly affected personally by the crisis. What she says is powerful, and it was powerful becuase it was at the collision point between her personal and political lives. Layla explained the Liberal Democrats support for an immediate bilateral ceasefire, and how she believes we need to move forward from there. It's absolutely worth a watch: