ROMSEY'S Member of Parliament Sandra Gidley this week linked up with Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy in launching the party's manifesto for women.

The proposals include plans to introduce a Citizen's pension, a Maternity Income Guarantee and free long-term care for the elderly, helping both those in need and their carers.

Mrs Gidley said: "Women make up nearly half the working population, but don't have the flexibility in the way they work to balance family commitments too.

"We would offer new mothers the option of receiving a Maternity Income Guarantee equivalent to the minimum wage of £170 per week for the six months after the birth of their first child."

Mr Kennedy pointed out that some areas of public policy disadvantaged women. "Perhaps the most glaring of these," he said, "is pensions. Two million pensioners in Britain currently live below the Government's own poverty line, two-thirds of whom are women.

"Pensions are currently calculated on the basis of how many years you have worked. Years spent caring for children are currently ignored when women reach pensionable age. We propose a Citizen's Pension, based on residency not on contributions."

He added that crime and worries about safety on the streets come at the top of women's concerns.

"We would put 10,000 more police officers on the streets and keep them there longer by cutting down on unnecessary paperwork," he said.

In addition, he said, there would be a strengthening of antisocial behaviour measures in order to tackle the causes of bad behaviour as well as imposing punishment. l Sandra delivers meals on wheels - see page 5