Nov 28 2010
by Martin Shipton, Wales On Sunday

Dumped woman AM hits out at male dominance

A WOMAN AM dumped by party members in favour of a man says she fears the Welsh National Assembly could lose its reputation as a beacon of workplace sexual equality.

In an emotional speech at a public seminar where the impact of women on Welsh devolution was discussed, Eleanor Burnham spoke openly about her sense of rejection by Liberal Democrats in the North Wales region.

Ms Burnham, who is also an award-winning soprano, has been a regional AM since 2001. She joined the Assembly after predecessor Christine Humphreys resigned.

She was reselected in 2003 and 2007 to hold the top position on the Lib Dems’ North Wales list, winning a seat in the Assembly both times.

Last month, however, party members voted in a postal ballot to relegate her to second position on the list at next May’s Assembly election – meaning she now has no realistic chance of being re-elected.

Her place at the top of the list has been taken by Wrexham Council leader Aled Roberts.

Since his victory, Ms Burnham has not spoken in detail about what happened.

But last week she broke her silence, speaking in Cardiff Bay at an event organised by the Hansard Society, a group which promotes wider participation in politics.

Ms Burnham said that all her hard work had counted for “nothing”.

A member of the audience, who didn’t want to be named, said: “It was obvious how upset she was – it was a very emotional speech. I don’t know Eleanor very well, but I felt quite sorry for her and wanted to give her a big hug.”

Another person who heard the speech said: “It was obvious that she felt very badly let down.”

Ms Burnham, speaking on the panel alongside Labour’s Christine Chapman and Plaid’s Helen Mary Jones, told Wales on Sunday: “We were all worried by the implications of a report saying the proportion of women AMs is likely to go down to 30% after May’s election.

“Before 2007 the Assembly was equally balanced, with 30 men and 30 women, but it’s below that now.

“I’ve not attacked the Liberal Democrat hierarchy. I haven’t made any mischief,” she added.