Damn straight. Men have had thousands of years being in charge, so it takes a bit of positive action to redress the balance a bit.

Or put another way.... Men have had far more practice being in charge, so it is now women who need the practice

It would be better if better women stood for parliament, rather than be forced to pick mediocre women for minsters just because they are all that is available. Sexist short lists does not endear the population because they feel short changed.

It doesn't help women in politics when the most powerful one was a complete mental assface.

This idea comes from someone who doesn't want to become leader of the labour party but stay as deputy. Why? Is it because she has a cat in hells chance of being voted as leader and she knows it and doesn't want to lose any power she has.

My wife (a staunch Labour supporter) cant stand her and thinks if she really wanted to improve women representation then shutting her mouth would be a good start and funnily enough me (a definite non Labour supporter ) agrees with her.

More should be done to get the best women (and men) into politics but so called "positive" discrimination just leads to the accusation that they weren't up to the job and only got there because of there sex.

Best person for the job but equality in opportunity.

Just so everyone is clear, I was trying to be sarcastic.

Problems start when women try to do humour.

JOKE!!!

You're always trying, Heather... (8-p)

She'd have a lot more credibility if there were any decent Labour women knocking about. Diane Abbott seems ok from what little I've seen, but those one the front line (Harriet Harmon, Hazel Blears, Margaret Becket etc.) are all complete and utter morons. The level of stupidity that has been happily existing at that level of government during the last few years is genuinely terrifying.

To be fair, the one thing you can say is her male colleagues haven't actually been any better. They've actually managed to achieve intellectual equality by all being idiots.

I'm consistently amazed she hasn't been shunted off to the backbenches by now though. Whenever she opens her mouth the entire senior labour party must do a collective /picard.

Jon

Huh. Probably because the rest of the shadow cabinet have told her that they would like at least the possibility of returning to Government someday.

It is not as if they have not made Parliament more women friendly with no late nights, which is really bad for MPs who have a long distance to travel.

What if someone who was transgender was in the cabinet (that's not a euphemism )?

Would Harriet's head explode? I think we should be told...

She would moan that it is men trying to get power from women, and deny them their rights by getting surgery.

+1 Best person for the job, regardless of gender, skin colour or any other physical characteristics...