Jo Swinson : (11)

" There are five main barriers to women entering politics – I like to think of them as the five Cs: cash, caring, culture, confidence, and the closed club. " - Jo Swinson

" Much of political decision-making concentrates power in the hands of those already inside the circle, who tend to be men. Excluding women may not be the intention, but when they are not invited into the room where decisions are made, you can see how it happens. " - Jo Swinson

" London is a liberal city, in all senses of the word. It is a city built on the idea that the multitude of cultures that inhabit it are a benefit, not a curse, where communities from all over the globe live and work side by side, enriching each other’s experiences. " - Jo Swinson

" Two weeks into looking after a newborn, you don’t necessarily feel as if you’ve got it all under control. It’s just turned your life absolutely upside down, and I think there are a lot of parents who would feel that having the opportunity for both parents to be around in those early weeks would be something that would be really, really valuable. " - Jo Swinson

" No-deal Brexit can and must be stopped. To do that, MPs across Parliament who oppose it need to stand up and be counted. The options available are limited, and we must come together around a workable plan. " - Jo Swinson

" I respect everyone’s right to their own religious beliefs, but for me, this cannot extend to our education system treating some people’s lives and identities as if they are somehow less worthy of respect or love. " - Jo Swinson

" In some ways the fact that you are sometimes confronted with people who have such an opposite view to you on certain issues in many ways reinforces that identity that you have. " - Jo Swinson

" If you’re going for an interview, you will dress smartly and look the part, that is absolutely fine, but it’s just the level to which this becomes the ultimate focus of everything, where you have people who won’t go to school unless they’ve put their make-up on, or won’t leave the house unless they’ve spent two hours getting ready. " - Jo Swinson

" Our country deserves a party that isn’t afraid to say immigration is a good thing, or to say that Donald Trump is racist, or to admit that we have an economic system that is fundamentally broken for too many people and is breaking our planet too. " - Jo Swinson

" I think our stance on Brexit has perhaps been one of the most powerful things in helping people to recognise the values of the Liberal Democrats. " - Jo Swinson