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Theresa May: I have no role model, I do what I think is right Theresa May: I have no role model, I do what I think is right
(35 minutes later)
Theresa May has said she admired Margaret Thatcher but does not see herself as the heir to the Iron Lady. Theresa May has said she admires Margaret Thatcher but does not see herself as the heir to the Iron Lady.
Speaking at the Women in the World event in central London on Friday, the home secretary said she did not have role models but instead followed her own path, and said she was unconcerned with whether or not she was well liked. Speaking at the Women in the World event in central London on Friday, the home secretary said she did not have role models but instead followed her own path, and said she was unconcerned whether or not she was well liked.
When it was suggested by the interviewer Tina Brown that she could be seen as a “scary” figure, May said: “I think it’s always easy to say something to be liked. It’s harder to say something you think will not be liked because you believe it to be right.”When it was suggested by the interviewer Tina Brown that she could be seen as a “scary” figure, May said: “I think it’s always easy to say something to be liked. It’s harder to say something you think will not be liked because you believe it to be right.”
Brown compared May’s tough message on immigration at the Conservative party conference this week to speeches given by Thatcher, and asked whether May had heard the former Tory prime minister in her head. Brown compared May’s tough message on immigration at the Conservative party conference this week to speeches given by Thatcher, and asked whether May had heard the former prime minister in her head.
May replied: “I’m not somebody who hears someone else in my head. I just go out there and say what I believe to be right. I do not have a role model I aspire to be or somebody who I think ‘I want to be like them’, I just get on and do what I think is the right thing to do.”May replied: “I’m not somebody who hears someone else in my head. I just go out there and say what I believe to be right. I do not have a role model I aspire to be or somebody who I think ‘I want to be like them’, I just get on and do what I think is the right thing to do.”
Brown shied away from asking May directly whether she wanted to be the next leader of the Tory party, but did ask whether the need to balance family and life put women off entering politics.Brown shied away from asking May directly whether she wanted to be the next leader of the Tory party, but did ask whether the need to balance family and life put women off entering politics.
May said it was “one of the issues [affecting women] across politics, business and media”, but added: “I don’t think that’s what puts women off going into politics.”May said it was “one of the issues [affecting women] across politics, business and media”, but added: “I don’t think that’s what puts women off going into politics.”
Brown questioned May on her dress sense and asked whether she had purposefully chosen a “power dress” for her conference speech. “I did not think it of it as power dress, I thought I’d wear a dress that had to be sober,” she said.Brown questioned May on her dress sense and asked whether she had purposefully chosen a “power dress” for her conference speech. “I did not think it of it as power dress, I thought I’d wear a dress that had to be sober,” she said.
“I like clothes, I like shoes … One of the challenge for women in politics, in business, is an ability to be ourselves. You can be clever and like clothes, you can have a career and like clothes.” “I like clothes, I like shoes … One of the challenges for women in politics, in business, is an ability to be ourselves. You can be clever and like clothes, you can have a career and like clothes.”
The two-day event at Cadogen Hall will also hear from Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, the actor Nicole Kidman and Tor Pekai Yousafzai, the mother of Malala. On Thursday night the event heard from Meryl Streep, Queen Rania of Jordan and Germany’s defence minister, Ursula von der Leyen.The two-day event at Cadogen Hall will also hear from Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, the actor Nicole Kidman and Tor Pekai Yousafzai, the mother of Malala. On Thursday night the event heard from Meryl Streep, Queen Rania of Jordan and Germany’s defence minister, Ursula von der Leyen.
Related: ‘Don't give up the fight,’ Meryl Streep tells womenRelated: ‘Don't give up the fight,’ Meryl Streep tells women
May suggested that the most visible parts of politics, such as the adversarial prime minister’s questions, could put women off. “Women will look at the most-seen part of politics, which is the rough and tumble, and think they can can apply their talents elsewhere,” she said.May suggested that the most visible parts of politics, such as the adversarial prime minister’s questions, could put women off. “Women will look at the most-seen part of politics, which is the rough and tumble, and think they can can apply their talents elsewhere,” she said.
Women perhaps needed more encouragement, she said, while men “had the networks” and “feel this is a career for them”. But she said being a woman had not held her back. “Every time I tried to do something, I tried never to think that if it failed it was because I was a woman. I tried to think: what questions didn’t I answer?”Women perhaps needed more encouragement, she said, while men “had the networks” and “feel this is a career for them”. But she said being a woman had not held her back. “Every time I tried to do something, I tried never to think that if it failed it was because I was a woman. I tried to think: what questions didn’t I answer?”
May spoke extensively of her commitment to tackle child sexual exploitation and abuse. Asked whether Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, should apologise over abuse allegations against the former home secretary Leon Brittan that were later proved to be untrue, she said: “Those of us in public life need to be very careful about the language we use. It’s been brought home to us in a very human way.”May spoke extensively of her commitment to tackle child sexual exploitation and abuse. Asked whether Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, should apologise over abuse allegations against the former home secretary Leon Brittan that were later proved to be untrue, she said: “Those of us in public life need to be very careful about the language we use. It’s been brought home to us in a very human way.”
She said there was still much work to do to tackle child abuse and to bring perpetrators of historical crimes to justice. “This is not something that goes away when look at historic cases,” she said. “We should really call them historic because these are cases that people are living with every day of their lives.”She said there was still much work to do to tackle child abuse and to bring perpetrators of historical crimes to justice. “This is not something that goes away when look at historic cases,” she said. “We should really call them historic because these are cases that people are living with every day of their lives.”