You just wish sometimes that people would treat you like a human being rather than seeing your gender first and who you are second.

I want a society that provides decent jobs for those who can work and decent security for those can't.

As long as the number one worry for people, keeping them up at nights, is whether they're going to have a job in the morning, then they are less likely to resist unfair changes, or unfair treatment, or cuts in real pay at work.

I think being a mother helps keep your feet on the ground. There's very little dignity in parenthood. It's a great leveller.

You just wish sometimes that people would treat you like a human being rather than seeing your gender first and who you are second.

Each day more coalition MPs in seats outside the South East come out against George Osborne's regional pay cut plans, and Vince Cable now claims they are dead.

I worry that some politicians still think we are living in the 1950s where the man is the main breadwinner and the woman works for pin money. Actually, most families where there are two parents depend on two incomes to get by.