Gloria De Piero MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, responding to the Girlguiding campaign ‘Girls Matter - Our Calls for Change’, said:

“Girlguiding are doing great work to make sure girls’ voices are heard by politicians. It’s absolutely right that we need compulsory sex and relationship education to teach about respect in relationships to boys and girls, and we need zero tolerance to sexism and sexual bullying.

“Girls want positive representations of women in public life and that includes equal representation in Parliament, something all Parties need to work together to deliver.

“As politicians we should all be listening to the voices of girls and young women to help us deliver on the promise of equality.” 

Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, also supported the campaign saying:

“The Girls Matter campaign is a great campaign, addressing issues which are important to the Labour Party. We are already committed to introducing compulsory sex education in schools and girls and young women’s voices are essential in helping us to shape that. We are also committed to looking at how we enforce a zero-tolerance approach to sexual bullying and harassment, not just in schools but in all areas of life. And I am committed to working towards having a Cabinet, a Parliament and a Party where women are equally represented. My Party is pushing this forward through the use of All Women Short lists but there is more we all need to do to make equality in political life a reality.

“As the Girls Matter campaign highlights, we must listen to girls and young women in Britain and we will be looking at all of Girlguiding’s campaign pledges as we draw up our manifesto.”