So who is looking forward to a new Women's and Equalities Minister?

[RedToothBrush]

Its gonna happen isn't it?

One way or another.

I haven't seen much improvement with all the changes so far but it does allow a bit of breathing space for thought to intervene.

Looks like it. Are there any opportunities for this to be a good thing for women or is that too optimistic?

Sam Coates Times
‏*@SamCoatesTimes*
Andrea Leadsom and Penny Mordaunt still on front bench. Both grim faced

Victoria Atkins MP is the current minister for women, within the Women & Equalities Dept. She raised the concerns about the rapidly rising number of referrals to Tavistock earlier this year.

There is still a thread of questions/ comments for Penny Mordant MP:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3297184-Your-comments-for-Penny-Mordaunt

This thread evolved from the original one posted by Justine Roberts at the beginning of the Govt. Consultation.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/3297067-Mumsnet-moderation-response-to-yesterdays-feedback

As its in another place, 'Talk', there is a risk it gets lost.

There are many important comments, posts and concerns of MN members on the thread including additional questions and comments for Penny Mordant.

The thread which Justine is referring to in her comment & links to:
July 3rd 2018, OP Pratchet wrote:
"A woman is an adult female human
Of the sex whose reproductive role is to gestate and bear young.

Let's just say this while we still can. Because it's true, and however many people try to make us lie about it, or remain silent, it will always be true.

In times of universal deceit, speaking the truth is a revolutionary act.

It hurts MY feelings to see 'transwomen are women'. It damages MY mental health to see that, it makes ME feel erased and MY identity feel destroyed. I have a voice and I deserve that voice. WE deserve it.

I am Spartacus. A woman is an adult female human. Sex is binary, immutable and defined by reproductive role.

If you report me, or get me banned you shoot the messenger. Because this is true and will always be true. And this day, this day of a lie, I WILL say it.

#Spartacus"

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3295603-A-woman-is-an-adult-female-human

relevent thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3351837-What-Happened-to-the-Penny-Mordaunt-Webchat-with-Mumsnetters

Today will be an interesting day (in the Chinese curse/proverb sense)

Dont get too excited. It will probably end up being Philip Davies or the like.

Steven Swinford @Steven_Swinford
BREAKING

I’m told that Penny Mordaunt going to see PM later this afternoon. She’s pushing for a free vote on the Brexit deal, which the No 10 is adamant will not happen.

Could she become the third Cabinet resignation of this extraordinary day? We’ll know in a few hours...

Women & Equalities Committee @Commonswomequ
Earlier this year we recommended that @WomenEqualities have a permanent home in the @cabinetofficeuk . Today, @PennyMordaunt announced that the Government will be implementing our recommendation. Read the report:
t.co/jqMYDr7lfK
The role of Minister for Women and Equalities and the place of GEO in government

Summary
Since 1997, the policy function for women and equalities issues has been located in eight different government departments. In the last two years alone, four different Ministers based in three different departments have held the brief for Women and Equalities. The most recent change in leadership has led to a situation where the ministerial team is split across two departments, with the civil servants supporting them in a third department. Each move brings disruption and incurs costs. Each change of leadership requires time for a new Minister to get to grips with the brief.

In each new department there will be beneficial policy synergies, but none of these departments has had an overwhelming claim to be the home of equalities in Whitehall, and the benefits have been incidental and short-lived rather than part of a planned strategy. This level of movement and fragmentation is unsatisfactory and unsustainable if we want the Government Equalities Office (GEO) to be an effective engine of change towards a more equal society across government.

As well as stability, GEO needs resources, ministerial time, and authority for its cross-governmental role. A Cabinet sub-committee for equalities should be established and a cross-government equalities strategy developed, both led by the Minister for Women and Equalities. GEO should be represented separately and distinctly within the financial accounts and departmental plan of its current home department. In the long term, the GEO’s next move should be to the Cabinet Office. There, it should co-ordinate and monitor work across Whitehall on all equalities strands, with a remit to hold individual departments’ feet to the fire on mainstreaming equalities in their own policy areas.

The part-time nature of the role of Minister for Women and Equalities contributes to instability, reduces its capacity and risks giving the impression that these issues are an afterthought rather than a thread that ought to run through all government policymaking. The Minister should also find a long-term home in the Cabinet Office as a full-time role.

Mordaunt is either going to become the new Brexit Secretary or she's going to resign and join Boris and Rees-Mogg.

Boris is currently lunch-meeting with Rees-Mogg, says a BBC reporter on Twitter.

May is fucking delusional.

I heard some Tory on the radio this morning claiming that about "85%" of the electorate "voted for Brexit" at the last general election.

Er, NO - voting for Labour or Conservative at a GE did not constitute 'voting in favour of Brexit'.

However, had I known the shitstorm on self-id that Labour was going to be promoting thereafter, I'd have spoilt my paper back then.

Dont get too excited. It will probably end up being Philip Davies or the like.

I laughed. Then I wept bitter tears because this would not even surprise me.

Interestingly, there has been an announcement (this week?) that the Equalities Minister will now be part of the Cabinet Office rather than a semi-detached part of another ministry like the Home Office or Education.

It was a recommendation coming from Maria Miller's committee because the equalities portfolio spans the whole of government - whether you are talking about crime, employment, benefits, education etc etc.

The second reason for the recommendation was the unacceptable level of turn-over in Equalities Ministers. Progress would be put 'on hold' until the new incumbent had familiarised themselves with the issues before moving on!

I think that this is a good move.

Nevertheless, it makes me suspcious. Why now? I'm puzzled as to why the Conservatives have raised the profile of the Equalities ministry and stepped it up a gear - it's not like them at all, surely.

Or is the 'restructure' a chance to tackle the culture of the Equalities civil servants who were instrumental in exposing the government to a shite storm backlash over the reform of the GRA?

I don't expect that the Top Civil Servant reads Mumsnet - but it's a heck of a coincidence that Mumsnet threw a spotlight on the motives of civil servants who ressurected the trans agenda, without prompting, and commended it to a Lib Dem minister back in 2010.

Will it be a man or boy-female (they seem to be all the rage at the moment)?

I think the Cabinet Office is regarded as a safe place, close to the PM.

Make of that what you will.

If Mordaunt does resign, it makes no sense to wait until April to start the job as a part time position. The department change will still happen in April cos it'll be tied to budget and staff costs, but otherwise...

Mordaunt is in with the PM now.

I wonder if they'll announce new Brexit Sec tonight.
Can't think who Equalities Minister will be but, at this point, no, wouldn't be surprised if it's a man.

I think they’ll announce the new Equalities Minster as soon as they find someone stunning and brave enough.

I not too busy at the moment.

I'd vote for you Fekko.
Aspie, I'd love to see the job description

Essential requirements.

1. Stunning

1. Brave

1. Pomo

1. Self identification as right person for the job

I don't even know what #3 is which makes me excellently qualified for the job.

With deselections and a possible GE on the horizon who's to say it won't be Lily Madigan?

Pomo = post-modern relativism, which basically means that every time a feminist writes a revision of history or politics or women gain some human rights, those steps forward are written off as merely a has-been narrative that needs to compete with all other possible narratives, although of all those possible narratives the brave and stunning one has primacy because, you know, pomo.

It's the intellectual equivalent of a tantrum.

Oh - 'trumpies' as we call them here? I can do that.

Freespeecher
You stop that now.

David Davies, please. He may be wrong on other policy issues but a bit of calmness and common sense would do wonders on this one.

Will never happen. The Tories would never be brave enough to drop the woke facade even if few actually believe TWAW.

With deselections and a possible GE on the horizon who's to say it won't be Lily Madigan?

Haha I nearly said that earlier but deleted 😁