WUNRN
SCOTLAND INDEPENDENCE VOTE
FORTHCOMING
On 18 September, voters in Scotland will be asked in a referendum whether they want the nation to become independent from the rest of the United Kingdom.
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http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-27087347
SCOTLAND - WOMEN-ONLY SCOTTISH CABINET EVENT TO DISCUSS GENDER ISSUES ON THE INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM
Angela Constance [left] and Shona Robison are now full
members of the Scottish cabinet
19 April 2014 - The Scottish government
has announced a women-only Scottish cabinet event to debate issues related to
the independence referendum.
The event, which will bring together
women from organisations across the country, will take place on 9 June, 100
days before the vote on 18 September.
The battle to win female voters is seen
as crucial to the referendum's outcome.
The event will look at issues such as
gender equality, female representation on boards and childcare.
It will also examine employment law, and
issues of the economy and social justice.
Organisations due to attend include
Engender, the Scottish Women's Convention, STUC Scottish Women's Aid, Close the
Gap and Rape Crisis Scotland.
Announcing the event, Deputy First
Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "This all-women cabinet event sends an
important message to women in
Last week, First Minister Alex Salmond
promoted two female junior ministers to the full cabinet.
Mr Salmond told delegates at the SNP
conference he wanted companies in an independent
In order that his own government
"board" met this benchmark, he said Shona Robison, the Minister for
Commonwealth Games and Sport, and Youth Employment Minister Angela Constance
would be promoted to the full cabinet.
They are joining Deputy First Minister Nicola
Sturgeon and Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop at the cabinet table, meaning four
of Mr Salmond's 10 cabinet secretaries are women.
Earlier this week, Labour's Margaret
Curran pledged a 50% quota of women on public boards and also said she wanted
companies to be forced to publish pay differences between male and female
workers.
The Shadow Scottish Secretary said
Labour in
This measure was in response to the
Scottish government's pledge of a massive expansion in childcare under
independence, which it says would help women back to work and boost the
economy.
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