Life on Capitol Hill - Emma Barnett meets Professor Laurie Rubiner

Labour leadership contender Jeremy Corbyn joins Emma to talk about what he will do for women if he is elected party leader. Although initially seen by many as an outsider, his opposition to the Welfare Reform Bill in late July galvanised his campaign and political polls now place him on the cusp of victory. We find out what proposals he has towards gender equality and what he feels he could bring to the leadership role.

Autism has, in recent years, become a much better understood condition and diagnosis in children has increased dramatically. However, there are many adults who have never received a diagnosis despite dealing with the condition all their lives. There has been an increase, reported anecdotally, of parents discovering they are autistic through their children being diagnosed with the condition - often hearing doctors describing behaviours in their children that they recognise in themselves. Many of them are now seeking a formal diagnosis. Olley Edwards was diagnosed last year with Asperger’s and has two autistic daughters; we talk to her about her experience and also to Dr Judith Gould, director of the Lorna Wing Centre that specialises in assessment and diagnosis of autism, about what support there is for adults with the condition.

Topshop have stopped using a dramatically thin mannequin after customer, Laura Kate Berry, accused the retailer of a ‘lack of concern for body conscious youth’. She posted a photo of the offending mannequin on Facebook and in a matter of hours the message received more than 3,000 likes and generated more than 700 comments. Emma talks to Laura about the size 10 figurine that was stretched and “stylised to have more impact”.

For three years, Professor Laurie Rubiner served as legislative director for then senator Hillary Clinton, helping craft her health care reform agenda that became a centrepiece of her 2008 presidential campaign against Barack Obama.  As well as healthcare Laurie has spent years focusing on women’s issues including reproductive rights. She’s been Chief of Staff to Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal for the past four years. Emma went to meet her at the senate building in Washington to talk about her career and how she got in to politics.

Two Green Party members are going to the Royal Court of Justice to fight for a judicial review into giving MPs the right to job-share. Sarah Cope and Clare Phipps had requested joint candidacy at this year’s election but were refused by the Electoral Returning Officer at Basingstoke and Dean Borough Council. Sarah Cope joins us to tell us why she thinks it could work.