Where are all the women in the cabinet?

Maybe some labour supporters could swell the ranks of the greens.

I've been trying to convince Green Party supporters that appealing for Lib Dem members to come join them is not the way to show the country that PR will work here and that offering the coalition their support would be far better.

Conservative/Lib Dems have 55 women or 15% female MP's. Purely on a statistical basis this means that there should be at least 3 in the cabinet. The PM should increase this number as at present only positive discrimination ensures fair representation.

Did David Cameron really promise a third of the cabinet would be female when on the campaign trail? here

I have also been thinking it would be fun to include Caroline Lucas too to show parties can work together. Whilst the green tax policies would not work for tories lots of the green economy ideas could be used. Maybe it would be too risky at this stage with the far right tories still trying to get used to being nice to the lib dems and vice versa.

I wish Sarah Teather was there somewhere. She is very bright and quite nice too from what one sees on TV.

It is a complicated issue as to why there are so few women in politics and even fewer rise to ministerial positions. One of many factors is the ludicrous working hours, which are in no way family friendly. Interesting to note that in the Scottish Parliament - which mainly works 9 to 5 - and is within one hours travel for most MSPs we have more females in positions of power

1 party leader, 2 deputy party leaders
5 cabinet members - Culture and external affairs, Health & Welfare, Environment, Public Health & Sport and Lord Advocate.

I would not suggest that Scottish women in politics are in any way superior to their, rest of UK, counterparts, therefore it would appear that the family friendly working practises do contribute to enabling more women to commit themselves.

Perhaps we, as feminists, should be directing our energies at this time, when parliamentary reform is on the agenda, to promoting sensible working hours/practices which would allow more family orientated women (and men) to enter the political sphere.

oh and on her "equality" record, here we go.

analysis by PinkNews.co.uk reveals that Mrs May's has voted consistently against gay and transgendered rights.

Mrs May's voting record on LGBT rights is mixed.

In 1998 she voted against equalising the age of consent and in 2000, she voted against the repeal of section 28, legislation that banned the 'promotion' of homosexuality by local government and schools.

In 2001 and 2002 she voted against gay couples jointly adopting children.

In 2004, like much of the Conservative front bench, Mrs May did vote in favour of civil partnerships.

But in the same year, Mrs May didn't attend Parliament for any of the four votes that led to the Gender Recognition Act.

In 2008 she voted in favour of a defeated bill which said that IVF rights should require a male role model- effectively discriminating against lesbian fertility rights.

are we surprised though?

It is a disgrace, 1 woman so far - words truly fail me

she's already complained about the "shoes" thing

Thanks OJo

Sorry to crash your thread but already the BBC have commented on 'Theresa May's love of shoes' or some such nonsense. Maybe when the media can talk about the new holder of one of the most senior positions in British politics without mentioning her dress sense, we'll have fair representation in Cabinet???

GRRRRRRR!

Sorry have a professional bias against someone who will introduce more change in education, just think there's been enough and we need some consolidation before introducing more. (am not a teacher but do work in education) TBH haven't read the webchat yet so will go off and do that now...

Now I know the mere mention of her name drums up strong feeling but Thatcher anyone?! You can't claim the Tories are biased against women when they have had the only female Prime Minister!
I know this fact sticks in many lefties throats, particularly after Labour tried to leave her off a list of significant women in the 20th Century!

Oh I thought people liked Govey now after his webchat on here.

Ho hum, Michael Gove has education. Doesn't bode well in light of his rather random pronoucements during the campaign...

Great - the only woman in the cabinet is an authoritarian.

Interesting pre-election Guardian article about exactly this topic:
www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/08/catherine-bennett-women-politics

AMaggie - universal suffrage in 1928, passed by the Conservative govt under Stanley Baldwin.

I didn't say she'd be a staunch supporter of equality. Personally I disagree with many of her policies. My sort of feminism is not hers. However if we have to have a Tory government then I think it should include women too. So I'm pleased to see she is there.

"Personally I'd rather someone was picked for the Cabinet based on their ability, not their sex."

I agree. Which is why it's such a shame that most top jobs are occupied by people who have been picked for their sex. (IE they're male. They get privileges for simply having a penis from the nursery through school, university and the workplace, that women don't get. No one seems to worry that they're keeping more competent people who haven't been given their privileges, out of a job.)

GetOrf: !

I am a staunch supporter women's equality rights, and I am a staunch csupporter of the Conservatives. The two are perfectly compatible.