Every general election is haunted by the ghosts of campaigns past. The most significant spectre in 2019 has to be Nancy Astor, who on December 1 1919 was the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons as an elected member of the UK parliament – and to whom a statue was unveiled in Plymouth on November 28, the anniversary of her election. One wonders what she would make of the gender politics of this campaign.

The United Nations special rapporteur on ending violence against women is calling on the Philippine government to protect Filipino women in politics against verbal attacks coming from high-level politicians.

Speaking at the panel as the inaugural speaker, minister in the prime minister’s office of Singapore, Indranee Rajah, said the country has not been able to solve all gender issues but has made great strides since 1965.