Setting up the WE was not so much brave as a no-brainer, but the world has changed

• Women’s Equality party founders urge members to call time after 10 years

When the old guard told us we were brave to start a political party, hardly anyone meant that as a compliment. Perhaps it is naive to believe in the possibility of a better future, but inequality was yawning ever wider, with women and girls at the sharp end. Frankly, setting up the Women’s Equality party (WE) wasn’t so much brave as a no-brainer.

Why not simply join a mainstream party or use our media platforms to campaign? Well, we saw old parties adopting the rhetoric of populism to woo voters, while editors platformed toxic views in the name of balance, and clickbait-hungry broadcasters turned dangerous buffoons into reality stars.