JACKIE Medley may have lost the case but she has won the argument. Even the judge who presided over the employment tribunal which found against her recognised that.

In the 21st century it is remarkable that women can be treated as second class citizens in social clubs across Britain. But it is astonishing that the law protects that position.

Mrs Medley deserves great credit for what should be regarded as her heroic failure. She has campaigned passionately and eloquently on this issue.

Moreover, she has never been less than reasonable. She is not calling for a blanket ban on men-only clubs, but for equality in clubs which admit men and women.

As she points out, most working men's clubs could not operate without women. They sell tickets, serve drinks and work hard to keep them running smoothly. They also invest time and money as patrons of clubs, crucial at a time when many are losing their traditional customer base.

Yet women are treated as inferior to the men. Mrs Medley is denied the right to be an associate member; she cannot stand for election to either her branch committee or the national executive; she is banned from certain games and events and she must be "signed in" when she visits another club.

This anachronistic nonsense should have been banished decades ago. It has no part in modern society.

We can only echo Mr Justice Burton's hope that the Club & Institute Union takes the only proper course and votes to place women on an equal footing.

The CIU can claim it has no legal compunction to do so. But it has a compelling moral duty to treat all club users the same.

Updated: 10:33 Thursday, March 11, 2004