GLENROTHES West and Kinglassie councillor, Julie Ford, was invited by Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh MP to address the SNP conference last week during the women’s ‘Moving Equality Forward’ session.

During this session, Councillor Ford told the conference about the ‘casual sexism’ that she had experienced within her short 18 months as a Fife councillor.

From being told that she’d ‘learn once she’s older’, to being asked back to a male colleague’s house where he’d ‘provide the wine’.

Commenting after the event, Councillor Ford commented: “I was honoured to be asked by Tasmina to speak during such an important session at this year’s SNP Spring Conference.

"I was met with gasps from the audience as I explained some of the remarks I have encountered."

She added: “A mere 24% of our councillors are female—we cannot sit back and accept that.

"Now that isn’t turning patriarchy into matriarchy, it is turning our current unequal system on its head and giving women—who incidentally make up 52% of the population—the same opportunities as our male counter parts.

"I will never apologise for campaigning for equal rights, be it for women, the LGBTI community, the BAME community, or those registered as disabled.”