Fawcett launches legal challenge to gov't budget

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FAWCETT LAUNCHES GROUNDBREAKING LEGAL CHALLENGE TO GOV’T BUDGET

The Fawcett Society has filed papers with the High Court seeking a Judicial Review of the government's recent budget

We believe the Treasury did not assess the way different budget measures would affect different groups, as is required by the law. In particular, they didn’t consider the way changes to tax and welfare would affect women’s equality.

Even a top line analysis of the budget shows women will be hit hardest – some £5.8 billion of the £8 billion of cuts planned will be taken from women’s pockets.

Fawcett doesn’t relish taking this step – and we shouldn’t have to. We would far rather the government had seen fit to respect equality the law in the first place.

But with a budget that risks rolling back women’s independence a generation, we could no longer stand by.

We are waiting to hear whether we will be granted a judicial review and expect a permission hearing to take place in the next few weeks.

Support our campaign? Want to help? Join today!

Read The Observer article on our challenge

Coming up

Voting for Fawcett Trustees

Fawcett members will soon see voting papers for Trustees drop through their letterboxes.

Our Trustees take responsibility for the overall strategic direction of Fawcett. It is a big responsibility and ultimately it’s members who decide who sits in the hot seat, so please do take the time to vote!

Last chance to join Team Fawcett and run for women!

On the 5th September 2010, thousands of women will come together and run the adidas Women’s 5K Challenge, a fun run for women of all ages and abilities taking place in Hyde Park, London. We’re asking our members and supporters to run the challenge to raise funds for the Fawcett Society. Entries close in two weeks, so if you’d like to take part email us now events@fawcettsociety.org.uk

Established in 1866, Fawcett is the UK’s leading campaign for equality between women and men. Our vision is of a society in which women and men enjoy equality at work, at home and in public life. We campaign on women’s representation in politics and public life; pay, pensions and poverty; valuing caring work; and the treatment of women in the justice system. We make real differences in women’s lives by creating awareness, leading debate and driving change and we have real lobbying power. Our successes range from a change in the law to allow political parties to use all-women shortlists to increase the number of women MPs, to reform of the rape law, to a new duty on public bodies to promote equality between women and men.

As a campaigning charity, we need your voices behind us and we are always in need of financial support. Join us today!

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