Lynne Featherstone calls for Julie Burchill to be sacked for post attacking transgender people

As Equalities Minister, Liberal Democrat Lynne Featherstone put into place the Government's Transgender Action Plan. She will be acutely aware of the issues facing transgender people, particularly in relation to violence and discrimination. Hate crime towards that community has been rising as the Independent reported.

Yesterday, the Observer published a piece by controversial writer Julie Burchill which was peppered with hate filled language. Had the target of Burchill's invective been a particular ethnic group, and she had used similar language, then her piece would have found its way onto the editor's spike and she would most likely have been given her marching orders.

Lynne Featherstone took to Twitter last night to say that Burchill should be sacked for what she described as "a bigoted vomit".

There's no doubt that Lynne is going to take some pain for these comments. Already she has been accused of being illiberal and anti free speech. Surely she has the same right as everyone else to express her view on the matter. She is questioning the decision of a national newspaper to drum up some circulation for itself by allowing one of its columnists to pick on a particular group of people. Standing up to bullies is a very liberal thing to do.

A sight that made me very happy indeed

Lib Dem Minister Jo Swinson at the Despatch Box taking questions on Women and Equalities today.

Good to see that the Government has taken steps to ensure that refuges won't lose funding and that there will be powers to split payments between partners when there is domestic violence when they Universal Credit comes in.

Good also to see Jo say that 60% of those who benefit from the Government's raising of the tax threshold are women and to hear her talk about extra help for childcare for those in part time employment.

I'm just very proud to see someone I helped get elected to Parliament for the first time in 2005 doing so well and so fluently in a role that was made for her.

I've not quite got used to seeing her on the front bench yet, but I'm sure I will.

Nick Clegg announces Jo Swinson as Equalities Minister

Remember the almighty wailing and gnashing of teeth on here a week ago when it appeared that Nick Clegg had given our treasured equalities work to the Tories?

Well, now it transpires that we are going to have a Liberal Democrat Equalities Minister after all. And the best one possible. Step forward Jo Swinson. And it looks like she'll be handling equal marriage and not Helen Grant. 

Here's what landed in my inbox a few minutes ago from Nick Clegg:

Dear Caron,

Tonight I've been hosting a reception to celebrate the Coalition's commitment to equal marriage, an issue I'm very proud that Liberal Democrats are delivering on in Government.

I was delighted to be joined at the reception by Jo Swinson MP - who I'm pleased to announce is our new Equalities Minister, in addition to her role as Minister for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs.

Jo is one of the new Liberal Democrat team in Government; I am also delighted to welcome back David Laws and to bring Jenny Randerson, Don Foster and Tom Brake into Government roles. Their ability, enthusiasm and wisdom will be crucial as the Coalition puts Liberal Democrat policies and values into action.

I would also like to pay tribute to Sarah Teather, Paul Burstow, Andrew Stunell and Nick Harvey. They have all played a big part in making our country more liberal and have a number of significant achievements to their names. I know they will all continue to have a huge role in our party.

You can see the new Liberal Democrat Ministerial team here and the full Government here.

Equal marriage is just one of the many Liberal Democrat achievements in Government that our new Ministerial team are committed to delivering. We'll also be fighting to make tax fairer, promote jobs and growth, improve education and protect the environment.

That is what Liberal Democrats are in politics for - and what Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government will deliver.

Best Wishes,
Nick

I had heard rumours that there would be a Liberal Democrat Equalities Minister and I have to make a big apology to my source(s) who, I'd decided, had got the wrong end of the stick. I should have known better. Sorry.

And I will forgive Nick Clegg for the week of trauma and rage he's put me through. I'm sure he wouldn't have done it in this weird way if there hadn't been a bloody good reason. There's a story here that smells of wrangling with the Tories and eventually winning through.

Now I can just be reassured that we have a Liberal Democrat minister who gets equalities and who will keep on with the body confidence stuff that the Tories really don't understand. I can now feel confident that equal marriage will happen.

Phew! And WTF?!

For heaven's sake, Nick, what were you thinking, letting the Tories have equalities?

I am livid beyond belief this evening.

There is much in the Government reshuffle to be annoyed about, but what has sent me into the stratosphere of mega pissed-offness is that for some reason our mainly white privileged middle aged male ministers have decided to hand over the Equalities brief to the Tories.

We all sighed when Theresa May was made equalities minister in 2010, but were then overjoyed when this responsibility was delegated to our own Lynne Featherstone, who could be 100% relied upon to do the right and liberal thing. That's why she talked down default blocks on adult content, started the process of legislating for equal marriage and did great things with her work on body image. She really understood what homophobia and transphobia were all about and how to combat them.

And  that all seems to be for naught now. Lynne Featherstone at least still has a job, but not the equalities brief she was handling so well.

Has Nick never heard of the phrase "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Lynne's work was one of the reasons I felt it was worth being in Coalition. Now we are going to have to watch a completely different kettle of fish, new Maidstone MP Helen Grant, tackle the brief. And weep.

Pink News have got their knickers in a twist about her, but their actual hard evidence seems to be more about Ann Widdecombe, her predecessor.

However, what I've found out about her by a quick jaunt round Google has every liberal alarm bell I have ringing loud and clear.

She was part of Iain Duncan Smith's foundation. You know, the one that came up with all those lovely ideas to support families, or at least their narrow view of what constitutes a family. She's one of the authors of their Breakthrough Britain report which, among other things, recommends the idiotic marriage tax break. I don't actually know what her views are on equal marriage - there is nothing on the Coalition for Equal Marriage website to indicate either way. I do know, though, that she refers to certain young people on her website as a "feckless minority of louts."

I could actually cry.

I can't even see what we gained out of this. We've already lost successful schools minister Sarah Teather to bring back David Laws so that can't be the trade. The MOD to Defra swap also seems sensible.

Lynne's work was a major factor which made the agony of being in this Coalition bearable. I am disgusted beyond belief that the way she put our liberal ideals into practice was not valued enough by our own leaders.

Lynne is hugely popular amongst Liberal Democrat activists and her separation from the job to which she is perfectly suited is an enormous blow.

The Government is significantly less liberal tonight. And don't even get me started on having a health secretary who wants to restrict women's access to termination of pregnancy, and who believes, or believed in homeopathy.

I am incredibly angry with whoever allowed this to happen. Tonight my FFS list (that grouping of awful things this Coalition Government has done that I can't live with) just got a fair bit bigger. It is going to take me a long time to forgive Nick Clegg for this one.

And I will be watching every single thing that Helen Grant does. And if we support anything remotely dodgy, I'll be the first to complain. Well, maybe, if Jennie doesn't beat me to it.