Baroness Williams visits Broadstone

Mid Dorset and North Poole Liberal Democrats were delighted to welcome Shirley Williams, Baroness Williams of Crosby, to the Liberal Hall on York Road, Broadstone on Friday 1 July. The lively meeting saw the Baroness talk to members over cream tea, followed by questions and answers chaired by Annette Brooke MP.

The Baroness spoke about the Liberal Democrats in government, giving her views on coalition, education and health. She advanced her own proposals for policies, notably on parenting. “Parenting is something we have to get deeply into our senses. I think boys need to learn about parenting at least as much as girls,” she said, advocating that parenting ought to be included on the school curriculum as part of personal, social and health education.

An animated discussion followed, with the Baroness answering questions on the NHS, development, universities and housing.

Shirley Williams is a highly respected figure, with more appearances than any other panellist on the BBC’s flagship politics programme Question Time. She has served as leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords and adviser on Nuclear Proliferation to Gordon Brown from 2007 to 2010. She also holds office as Professor Emerita of Electoral Politics at the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.