Does a lack of women in the cabinet matter?
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Version 0 of 1. Lola Okolosie: One less Tory is no bad thing Until this morning, there were four women in the cabinet, now there are only three. As a card-carrying paid-up member of the feminist movement you might expect what follows to be an impassioned tirade on how politics remains so brazenly a man's game. That might well have been the response had Maria Miller not been a Tory. But she is. Forgive me if I refuse to lament the loss of one less Conservative happy to preside over public spending cuts that disproportionately affect women. While Miller has been in the cabinet single parents, most of whom are women, have been hit hardest by Tory austerity, and as a result of removed services have lost more than 15% of their incomes. Incidentally, there are no mothers in the cabinet now for the first time since 1992. Nicky Morgan, the new financial secretary to the Treasury and minister for women, is a sister – although not a full cabinet member – and is also still against gay marriage; my ally she is not. And before people label Sajid Javid's appointment as culture secretary a thumbs up for diversity, I'll just say that the black part of me is no less offended than the female part by this government and what it is prepared to do to our most vulnerable. Lola Okolosie is an English teacher and writer Karren Brady: A major blow for society Maria Miller's resignation as culture secretary is a major blow for society. Fewer than a quarter of MPs are female, with many said to be standing down in next year's general election. Aside from the fact that half of the population is under-represented, there are wider issues for society stemming from the lack of women in ministerial roles. Data shows that more than half of women think their lack of self-confidence will hold them back from achieving their dream job. In a career as difficult and challenging as politics, how many young women will want to put themselves forward when they can clearly see that there are so few females in the cabinet? Politics will remain yet another area where girls lack role models who will help them have the self-confidence to succeed. We need more women in high-profile public roles, whether in Westminster or City boardrooms. The next generation have to see that they can achieve in whatever they set their heart to, so they have the confidence to aim high, regardless of gender. Karren Brady is a businesswoman and journalist |