A draft letter, circulating for over a year, has been sent to Andy Burnham, the potential Prime Minister, urging him to appoint an equal number of men and women to his government. The correspondence originates from the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seeks to address what they describe as toxicity and misogyny within the Labour party and government.
Separately, a new report from the Children's Commissioner for England paints a stark picture of escalating demand and prolonged waiting times for child mental health services. Since 2018, referrals have nearly doubled, with over a million children now engaged with these services. Professor Jessica Deighton of the Anna Freud Centre has discussed the implications of these long waits for children and their families. The report comes as Emma Kluibenschadl shared her experience of her 15-year-old son's death by suicide after his mental health issues were reportedly not addressed.
In other news, fashion designer Amanda Wakeley OBE, known for her timeless British womenswear favored by the Royal Family, has released her new book, "Style DNA." The book encourages women to reflect on their personal relationship with clothing, aiming to empower them to align their style with their sense of self.
The tragic murder of Annabel Rook, a co-founder of the grassroots arts organization MamaSuze, which supports women survivors of violence, has been highlighted by her co-founder Catherine Milne. Rook was killed by her partner, Clifton George, in June of the previous year. Milne, along with Rook's sister Sophie, discussed Rook's impact and the lessons to be learned from her loss.