Is ‘Lib Dem Pint’ sexist?

Young Labour members have made headlines today after calling for a ban on alcohol at CLP meetings to ensure the party can ‘become truly inclusive of women and other minorities’. Now it seems the Liberal Democrats could be next in the battle against patriarchy-fuelled booze.

Speaking at a Grassroots Women panel this week at the SMF, Jo Swinson raised concerns over her party’s regular social gathering ‘Lib Dem Pint’. Although the Lib Dem deputy leader said the pub meet-up – which sees activists come and hear a speech then mingle – was a ‘great thing’, she raised concerns over the use of the word ‘pint’ and whether it would alienate women:

‘I’m not saying women can’t drink pints, but I suspect that if you look at the Venn diagram of people who are most likely to drink pints it’s not majority women. And personally, if you’d had Lib Dem prosecco, I’d have thought that would be way more inviting.