THE Women’s Equality Party has called on Jeremy Corbyn to impose a three-line whip to ensure the passage of an SNP bill that calls for the UK Government to ensure minimum standards of care and support for people fleeing abusive relationships.
Leader Sophie Walker said the move would demonstrate the Labour leader’s commitment to the Istanbul Convention vote, which is being brought by Banff and Buchan MP Eilidh Whiteford on Friday. Mr Corbyn has said a Labour administration would ratify the convention.
But Ms Walker said in a speech: “Corbyn has today said that a future Labour government would fully sign up to the Istanbul Convention to put women’s rights and freedoms at the heart of government.
“Instead of using the needs of survivors to leverage future votes, why not collaborate with another party for a faster impact and guarantee that Labour MPs will support the SNP’s bill to ratify the Convention this week?
“Actions speak louder than words and it is well within Corbyn’s reach to do something about this now.”
The Women’s Equality Party has been campaigning for ratification of the Istanbul Convention since the party was founded in Spring 2015.
Ms Walker revealed at its party conference the names of every one of the 582 women who have died because of male violence in recent years and installed a phone box and directory of MPs at the venue so they could contact them and urge them to turn up and vote.
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