To be so happy at so many women in the cabinet

[Standupcitizen]

Anyone else absolutely thrilled to see women represented equally in the cabinet for the first time ever?

22 appointments. 11 women, 11 men. It seems completely deliberate. Previously the highest % of females in the cabinet was something like 38%. First female chancellor in history as well.

I feel elated that for the first time in my life, we have equality of the sexes in government.

Whatever you think of starmer, the labour party or of the women in question, this is absolutely huge to me, i feel ridiculously emotional about it. I think as a woman who has been dismissed, talked over, belittled, discriminated against and overlooked for promotion in favour of men in the workplace - if the government can do it, then other companies have no excuse.

I would be interested to know whether ‘state school’ meant a mixed comp in Nottingham (for example) or a Home Counties grammar etc… yes they’re all state but worlds apart… does anyone know?

He thinks Marie Antoinette invented radium. I am not a fan. I think he has a talent for annoying people and is not the sharpest tool in the toolbox.

This one of the stupidest things I have ever read on MN. Private schools are full of incredibly stupid people whose parents just have lots of money. Comprehensive (& grammar) schools are full of intelligent people. Are you telling me someone like Phillipson doesnt have the drive to succeed?

Were there no privately educated candidates he could have picked.

Obviously not of as high a calibre as those he did choose.

It’s naive to think he didn’t take the optics into account - of course he would’ve. He’s a clever man and determined to be as flawless and faultless as possible. He probably had a few high calibre people to choose from for each appointment but cared about representation. Which to me is correct.

So not ticking all the required boxes then! Surely it should be the quality of the Cabinet that matters rather than adhering to various quotas to appease people with agendas.

Representation of women that is - as I said it’s very white and not remotely representative of the ethnic makeup of the UK.

Hope you're not holding your breath on that.

my name is just like yours.

How do you define wealthy socialist? To answer this question, you must only use your private schooled brains

It’s not about appeasing. If every single time the ‘right person for the job’ happens to be white and able bodied… what does that tell you? Especially if there are many more candidates from more diverse backgrounds. People only ever say they ‘just want the right person for the job’ to critique diversity, they never see the other side of the same coin

Could you tell us which MPs of colour you would have appointed to which positions?

I would just like him (and everyone else hiring for experienced responsible jobs) to pick the best people. I don’t care if they went to private school or not - children don’t choose their own schools.

My only concern with his cabinet is that the sudden drop in privately educated people could mean he’s picking people on the basis they are state educated rather than best for the job.

It actually is. I posted this earlier too. 9% of cabinet are of Asian descent, 4% black

What about non-white men, does anyone every say anything about that quota?

The UK population is 82% white so he’s probably got it about right on that basis.

No because I’m not the prime minister? I’m just surprised it’s so white. No need for the fierce ‘oMG DONT DIsS LaBOur’ responses. Normally labour voters do care about representation so it’s interesting they suddenly don’t now it’s labour with a very white cabinet. I’m saying nothing 😳

I’m not at all surprised to hear you say, yet again, that Kier Starmer has got something right when on the face of it had he been a Tory you would’ve said the precise opposite.

5 out of 10.

Faux Outrage, you are faux, but not outrage.

Starmer has chosen his cabinet on the basis of who he thinks is best for the job. I very much doubt that he is wanting to tick any boxes.

If he had done that, it would have been a stupid way of choosing, and Starmer is far from stupid.

Someone will always find their own reasons for the appointment of certain ministers.

Let's see how they perform before we start judging them.

Yes, I do care about representation and as others have pointed out the cabinet actually is fairly representative of the population. Thangam Debonnaire would have had a cabinet post if she hadn't lost her seat. Im just interested in the randomness of suggestions that there should be fewer white people without any idea of who the key people of various ethnicities who have been passed over are.

Does "uncouth type" mean not having the right accent?