New Chair of Women & Equalities Committee - Caroline Nokes [Edited by MNHQ to correct typo at OP'S request]

[TimeLady]

order-order.com/2020/01/27/full-results-13-committee-chairs-elected-unopposed/

Do we know anything about her?

carolinenokes.com/

She is our MP and seems very good on local matters, especially the obscenely huge incinerator that is proposed not far from us

I think Guido has her name wrong - looks like it's Nokes. I'll ask MNHQ to change the title.

Interesting that its unopposed. Is it seen as low status or poisoned chalice. Is it a good sign she wanted it? Why didn't Maria Miller stand I wonder.

It's a Parliamentary appointment, not a Government post, with the brief to hold the relevant Department to account. So I guess they question/ propose policy; they don't implement it.

www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/24809/caroline_nokes/romsey_and_southampton_north

Select Ctees are there to hold their relevant govt departments to account. They are divvied up between the parties, then MPs from that party can stand for the chair of the ctee, then for membership, elected by their peers. (as in equals. The Lords also have their equivalent ctees with some serious expertise on board.)

Everywhere I go I meet allies, some of them organise events like Amy @wirewoolevents and Kristianne with the Secret Joy Club, and others like @CarolineNokes, @StephenMorganMP take support of trans people to the highest level. #transallies are the best support we can ever have, and many of them will be joining us in the #flythetransflag event on Transgender Day of Remembrance 20th November

Bit odd - this is still cached, as linked above, so clearly has only just been removed, but if you search directly - via google, or on their page using her name - it's now just a 404 error message.

Of course, supporting trans rights doesn't necessarily mean throwing women under the bus. There should be space to recognise that sex and gender are different, and to ensure safety, dignity, respect and freedom for both groups, under the law, because both are vulnerable in some ways, and each suffer from discrimination. But sadly, as we all know, people born with penises tend to have their rights rather prioritised, and we're just expected to be kind enough to welcome our rights and protections being eviscerated under our feet.

twitter.com/carolinenokes/status/1060486199574491137?s=19
Nov Trans remembrance day 2018

She appears to be new to this particular select committee:

www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/women-and-equalities/Formal-Minutes/2015-20-Parliament/Session-2019-20-Members-attendance.pdf

Looks like she was 'let go' from her Government role by Boris when he took over last year.

It's pretty odd that the Crysalis site mentioned that meeting as recently as the 15th, when the cache was created by Google, but it's now been deleted. Why? Is the connection to her now regarded as unhelpful for some reason and therefore best deleted, or is it deemed better for her ally status to be quietly disguised in order to claim honest broker?

In other news, Mumsnet's favourite doxxing intern is now an Assistant Private Secretary in the Ministry for Transport, less than two years after making headlines for being wholly untrustworthy in the workplace. It seems that regulatory capture is exceedingly thorough - either that, or vetting is anything but.

Anyone wondering what her role entails may want to read this.

Here's hoping that Caroline Nokes is aware the tide is turning on this one, and that she needs to balance supporting trans rights with ensuring women's sex-based rights are strengthened, and not diluted (or erased, as the aim appears to be).

I plan to attend the Conservative Party Spring Forum in Harrogate on 3/4 April so I'll be on the lookout for Caroline Nokes and whoever has the Women's portfolio when I'm there.

And David Davies, if only to shake his hand.

'
Nokes was reported to be one of the parliamentary candidates who signed a pledge to "respect, uphold and protect the right of Christians to hold and express Christian beliefs and act according to Christian conscience". She has also stated she was 'broadly supportive' of same-sex marriage providing religious organisations are not forced to act against their theology. In February 2013, she cited her support for stable and secure relationships, both gay and straight, but also referenced her previous pledge to Christians, and voted against the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill at Second Reading, saying she was "not convinced the safeguards sought by the Church of England have been guaranteed".'

• from RedToothbrush, on a previous Mumsnet post that mentioned Nokes.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3134100-Cabinet-Reshuffle-and-Impact-on-Women-Hint-Its-Bad-Includes-BPAS-statment

If politicians start scrubbing their previous mentions off the internet, I suppose traces will remain.

Curious, isn't it? Why would one do that?

There's also this:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/guest_posts/2656404-Guest-post-We-want-to-celebrate-womens-suffrage-and-show-how-far-weve-got-to-go

Nokes has also suffered what sounds like horrendous trolling from Fathers4Justice. I don't want to drag through her personal life on here, so won't link to the news stories.

She has 'mixed' voting history on same-sex marriage.

Seeing the people who are congratulating her on Twitter I don't think this is a time to let our defences down.