Any coalition deal with the other parties that involves sharing cabinet positions, will inevitably mean the percentage of women sat around Labour’s top table will get smaller.
This is not due to backsliding on Ed Miliband’s part. Far from it. He promised during the Labour leadership contest – and has consistently repeated it since then – that he will deliver 50:50 gender equality around the cabinet table (and has more or less done so with his current shadow team).
It is simply that the stock of female ministers from the other potential coalition partners is extremely low. And despite watery protestations to the contrary, all the current polls indicate that Miliband will need either the SNP or the Lib Dems to join his administration in order to form a stable working majority in the Commons.
Only one of the SNP’s six MPs in the last parliament was female and, although led by a woman, just 36 per cent of their parliamentary candidates are women. (And given Nicola Sturgeon is rather preoccupied serving as Scotland’s First Minister, she would not, presumably, be available herself?)
Similarly, just seven of the Lib Dems’ 57 MPs in the last parliament were women and five of them are likely to lose their seats (although, to be fair, it’s perfectly possible this number will be replenished with newcomers).
But from day one of the next government, there will be precious few women MPs from among either the Lib Dems or SNP experienced enough in frontline politics to be considered for cabinet positions.
The only choice open to Miliband, if he’s serious about honouring his pledge, is to appoint a greater number of Labour women to meet the shortfall. This, in turn, means appointing fewer men who currently sit in the shadow cabinet.
The in-tray of an incoming prime minister is deep enough without creating that kind of explosive row and in the process generating an officer-class of senior, overlooked men who have slogged away on the frontbench for years only to have their careers ripped away from them.
No, look instead for Miliband to pepper the junior and middle ministerial ranks with women as cover for the Labour-led government’s first U-turn.
Tags: all women shortlists, coalition government, gender equality, general election campaign 2015, prime minister Ed Miliband, representation
Lets see Caroline Lucas from the Greens and Jo Swinson from the Lib Dems and Caroline Flint from Labour around that table. Mayor Di Abbott of course will be at City Hall in 2016. But no Plaid or SNP, because they are Regional Parties.
Just heard an excellent argument on LBC. against tactical voting, and why you should always vote for the Party you believe in. In the event of the expected hung Parliament they may well tot up the total votes each Party gets, ie the popular vote, and if Labour come out in front then they will have every legitimate right to form a Coalition with others, even though they don’t have as much seats as the Tories. So, vote for the Party you believe in even though you may be in an ultra safe seat.
Nobody putting their name to this post? Why doesn’t that surprise me?
Worth remembering that a minority government doesn’t need to hand out cabinet places to other parties.
But no Plaid or SNP, because they are Regional Parties.
After what the SNP are about to do to Labour in Scotland, Labour will only be a regional party as well. There are no Labour MPs in Northern Ireland and shortly you may see Labour with no or just a handful in Scotland.
I think only UKIP fields candidates in all 4 countries of the UK.
“an officer-class of senior, overlooked men who have slogged away on the frontbench for years only to have their careers ripped away from them.”
About time too. Labour’s careerist elite have performed inadequately in opposition. Goodness knows how useless they’ll be if given ministerial positions.
And let’s hope we see Jim Murphy and Wee Dougie in the dole queue.
Hopefully they’ll be sorted out on a retraining scheme. But they’d better jump to it – they’ll get sanctioned if they think they’re too important to comply with the regulations.
So to hell with outcomes. Process is all.
Not a way to run a Government.
perhaps you can explain why I should vote Labour for my town hall when I have three excellent LD cllrs and Labour at the Town Hall don’t oppose or ask for amendments to the budget even though they are the opposition. Also, they have lost four of their cllrs in the past two years to LD and Ind due to bullying.
As for the GE it’s a toss up between LD and Tory
Swatntra, mayor Abbott,PMSL
unfortunately,outside Hackney there’s only 3 people who’ll vote for her, Ava Vidal,who looks like jumping to the greens, and you and Aaron kiely, who both live in Thurrock
Do you not think, being as these people rule the country, that rather than select candidates on a criteria of whether they sit or stand to piss that they should actually be selected on who’s best?
Might reduce the chances of total f***tards like Abbott or Harman getting anywhere near things.
There won’t be any formal coalitions so the issue will not arise