What system would be your ideal way of making the Parliamentary Party more gender balanced? Do you support all women shortlists as a way of increasing the number of Lib Dem women MPs?

I do not support all women shortlists, and this approach has been rejected by Lib Dem Conference in 2001 and again in 2005.

While we made good progress at this election, electing 7 new women MPs, 9 women out of 62 Lib Dem MPs is not nearly enough.

It is clear that a positive and dynamic campaign is needed within the party to actively seek out potential women candidates, and support and encourage them through approval and selection. Touring the country at hustings events, I have met many bright and talented women members and activists – we must encourage them to become candidates and investigate what factors are currently putting them off. Until we have as many women as men coming forward to be Lib Dem candidates, it will be difficult for us to achieve gender balance. Just like any by-election or target seat campaign, this campaign to recruit more women candidates must be properly resourced.