Spending review 2020; Maureen Lipman’s shoes; Özlem Cekic

Women have been worst hit in financial and economic terms by the pandemic so the spending review coming up this week is of particular interest this year. It’s when the chancellor sets out his big picture for the next three or four years in terms of what each government department will have to spend. This time round though Rishi Sunak will be laying out his plan for just one year because of the uncertainties facing the UK. Paul Johnson from the Institute for Fiscal Studies and Mary-Ann Stephenson from the Women’s Budget Group discuss the key areas to watch for which could impact women.

My Life In Shoes. The actress Eve Pearce has written a poem about her main life events remembered through her footwear - from wellingtons to brogues and satin heels. The actress Maureen Lipman talks to Jane about their friendship, and her own favourite black suede courts which she wore to Buckingham Palace, plus the role that shoes play in helping her get into character.

Özlem Cekic was one of the first women with a Muslim immigrant background to enter the Danish parliament. When she started receiving hate email from people who thought she should ‘go home’, she just deleted or ignored it. Then one day she decided to go and meet some of the senders. She was offered coffee and home-made cake at their houses, and talked with them for hours. So began a decade of trying to build bridges with people who hold extreme views. She tells Jane why she is convinced we should try to listen and understand them, and confront our own prejudices in the process. Özlem has written a book called Overcoming hate through dialogue.

As part of our Power List coverage we’re talking to Marian Spain who’s in charge of Natural England. It launched The Nature Recovery Network this month. And Sarah Johnson who works in Lancashire, restoring peatland in her area. Peat is really important for absorbing carbon dioxide and helps combat climate change.