New Chair for GBTF

7.09.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 1st Nov 2005

Sandra Gidley returns as GBTF Chair

At the meeting of the FE held on 31st October, Baroness Harris of Richmond stood down as GBTF Chair, and Sandra Gidley MP was elected as Chair in her place.

Standing down, Angie Harris said 'I have really enjoyed working with the GBTF and have been so impressed by the amount of support and networking that women are providing for themselves in our party. It is essential that this support continues and that we do not cease to make every effort to involve as many women as possible in the work of the party. I am pleased to have been part of the GBTF and look forward to working with them longer term. It was particularly exciting to be part of the support network for women candidates during the General Election, and that convinced me that this work must carry on.

'I am delighted to be able to hand back to Sandra Gidley who led the team so ably until January 2004. It seems a fitting appointment, and I wish her and the GBTF team success in the next Parliament.'

Sandra Gidley MP said 'The next few months will see a surge of applications from prospective candidates, and in this Parliament the GBTF has a real opportunity to work with women going for selection in Target and Starred Seats throughout the country. This is an opportunity we did not have after 2001, although we still achieved our target of 40% of candidates in winnable seats in 2005 being female. We want to see increased change, and we have large numbers of new women coming forward, as well as motivated, experienced candidates who are hungry for success. This augers well for the next Parliament, and I look forward to working with the GBTF team again.'