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| Generation of women hit by 'toxic combination of ageism and sexism' | Generation of women hit by 'toxic combination of ageism and sexism' |
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| A generation of women who fought for equal pay, improvements in childcare and maternity leave are being caught in a bind between caring for elderly parents and grandchildren while suffering from outdated workplace practices, the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has said. | A generation of women who fought for equal pay, improvements in childcare and maternity leave are being caught in a bind between caring for elderly parents and grandchildren while suffering from outdated workplace practices, the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has said. |
| In an interview with the Guardian on women's issues, Cooper said: "A toxic combination of sexism and ageism is causing problems for this generation." | In an interview with the Guardian on women's issues, Cooper said: "A toxic combination of sexism and ageism is causing problems for this generation." |
| Cooper's comments come as Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman, announced a new commission to tackle the issue of discrimination against women over the age of 50. The Commission on Women will be led by the former BBC Countryfile presenter Miriam O'Reilly and include the Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips, who like O'Reilly was dropped from presenting work on the BBC. The panel will help draw up proposals for preventing ageism and sexism and will also consider whether new legislation is needed to prevent discrimination. A social care information service for what the Labour party describes as a "true squeezed middle" is also due to launch as part of the commission. | Cooper's comments come as Labour's deputy leader, Harriet Harman, announced a new commission to tackle the issue of discrimination against women over the age of 50. The Commission on Women will be led by the former BBC Countryfile presenter Miriam O'Reilly and include the Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips, who like O'Reilly was dropped from presenting work on the BBC. The panel will help draw up proposals for preventing ageism and sexism and will also consider whether new legislation is needed to prevent discrimination. A social care information service for what the Labour party describes as a "true squeezed middle" is also due to launch as part of the commission. |
| Cooper, who has responsibility for women and equalities as part of her Home Office brief, said: "This is really a first step for women who don't even know where to go for help. They may have a mum in Bolton who increasingly needs help and support and they may live somewhere else and have no idea what to do. Whether it's the council, a voluntary organisation or just a neighbour, this information service will help." | Cooper, who has responsibility for women and equalities as part of her Home Office brief, said: "This is really a first step for women who don't even know where to go for help. They may have a mum in Bolton who increasingly needs help and support and they may live somewhere else and have no idea what to do. Whether it's the council, a voluntary organisation or just a neighbour, this information service will help." |
| The scheme is similar to the family information service piloted by the party in the early 1990s to publish information on childcare providers. | The scheme is similar to the family information service piloted by the party in the early 1990s to publish information on childcare providers. |
| Women over 50 are bearing the brunt of the government's economic policies while often trying to cope with the increasing burden of caring for relatives, according to research carried out by the Labour party. | Women over 50 are bearing the brunt of the government's economic policies while often trying to cope with the increasing burden of caring for relatives, according to research carried out by the Labour party. |
| Since the coalition came to power in May 2010, unemployment among women aged 50-64 has seen a huge 31% increase to 142,000, compared with an overall increase in all unemployed people over 16 of 4.2% to 2.6m, according to Office for National Statistics figures. | Since the coalition came to power in May 2010, unemployment among women aged 50-64 has seen a huge 31% increase to 142,000, compared with an overall increase in all unemployed people over 16 of 4.2% to 2.6m, according to Office for National Statistics figures. |
| Women as a whole have lost more jobs than men since 2010 (an estimated 11% increase) but women over 50 in particular have been hit hardest by the big cuts in local authority budgets. | Women as a whole have lost more jobs than men since 2010 (an estimated 11% increase) but women over 50 in particular have been hit hardest by the big cuts in local authority budgets. |
| The number of long-term unemployed (those out of work for 12 months or more) has increased by 105,000 to 904,000 since May 2010 and women make up 82,000 of the rise, or 78%, although men are still a majority of the unemployed overall. In contrast, unemployment among men above the age of 50 has barely changed since 2010 despite the overall increase and budget cuts. | The number of long-term unemployed (those out of work for 12 months or more) has increased by 105,000 to 904,000 since May 2010 and women make up 82,000 of the rise, or 78%, although men are still a majority of the unemployed overall. In contrast, unemployment among men above the age of 50 has barely changed since 2010 despite the overall increase and budget cuts. |
| As well as suffering from increased unemployment and changes to pension provisions, the over-50s are also dealing with the increasing life expectancy of their parents. | As well as suffering from increased unemployment and changes to pension provisions, the over-50s are also dealing with the increasing life expectancy of their parents. |
| Harman, who will chair the new commission, tackled the issue of women in television. "Of course there is age discrimination against men. But the combination of age and gender discrimination against women is of a different order of magnitude," she said. Harman criticised George Entwistle, the BBC's new director general, for his "woeful" response to criticism that the corporation freezes out older women while keeping older men on its screens. | Harman, who will chair the new commission, tackled the issue of women in television. "Of course there is age discrimination against men. But the combination of age and gender discrimination against women is of a different order of magnitude," she said. Harman criticised George Entwistle, the BBC's new director general, for his "woeful" response to criticism that the corporation freezes out older women while keeping older men on its screens. |
| "Basically, he said: 'We have got to reach out and find these [older] women.' In fact, they are right there under his nose but they are being got rid of," Harman said in an interview with the Independent. | "Basically, he said: 'We have got to reach out and find these [older] women.' In fact, they are right there under his nose but they are being got rid of," Harman said in an interview with the Independent. |
| She added: "He was saying: 'We can't start chucking out the older men.' Miriam [O'Reilly] was told to devise her own programme and then she could be on it. He needs to wake up right away and realise that women will not tolerate that any more. We need action, not pitiful excuses. He is still stuck in the old mould that the older man, the experienced, wise sage, has to be matched [on screen] by the younger woman." | She added: "He was saying: 'We can't start chucking out the older men.' Miriam [O'Reilly] was told to devise her own programme and then she could be on it. He needs to wake up right away and realise that women will not tolerate that any more. We need action, not pitiful excuses. He is still stuck in the old mould that the older man, the experienced, wise sage, has to be matched [on screen] by the younger woman." |
| Harman said that women on television feel the clock ticking in a way that it isn't for older men. | Harman said that women on television feel the clock ticking in a way that it isn't for older men. |
| An opinion poll for the Huffington Post this week suggested that Labour is ahead of the Tories by 22 points when it comes to looking after the interests of women. | An opinion poll for the Huffington Post this week suggested that Labour is ahead of the Tories by 22 points when it comes to looking after the interests of women. |
| Overall, about 34% say Labour is best at looking after the interests of women, compared with 12% for the Conservatives. | Overall, about 34% say Labour is best at looking after the interests of women, compared with 12% for the Conservatives. |
| In a speech at the pre-conference on Saturday, Cooper aims to take issue with the suggestion by the Tory minister David Willetts that the first generation of women to benefit from changes in equality laws were somehow selfishly denying less educated men a chance to work. "These women are the very opposite of selfish. They are often the generation holding the whole family together." | In a speech at the pre-conference on Saturday, Cooper aims to take issue with the suggestion by the Tory minister David Willetts that the first generation of women to benefit from changes in equality laws were somehow selfishly denying less educated men a chance to work. "These women are the very opposite of selfish. They are often the generation holding the whole family together." |
| The changes to tax and benefits come into force next April. The social care information service will start in Salford, and then the party plans to extend it across Labour-run authorities before the next election. | The changes to tax and benefits come into force next April. The social care information service will start in Salford, and then the party plans to extend it across Labour-run authorities before the next election. |
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