Kemi Badenoch appointed new Minister for Women and Equalities

[Manteiga]

And International Trade Secretary. I'd have preferred to see her as Secretary of State for Education in addition to Minister for Women and Equalities, but this is good news.

twitter.com/Conservatives/status/1584957913059454976

You may well be right, though I don't think it's cynical at all. To me it suggests that he understands his job. That they are still answerable to voters, that he needs some kind of support from citizens and MPs, and that there needs to be some stability after what has happened.

He either gets it or he has some astute advisors.

Just a tip if anything’s paywalled - if you refresh it and then press the X before it’s fully refreshed, the whole article should load. You have to be quick fingered though lol

Sorry - I don’t mean refresh! I mean when you first click the link to open it, press the X before it fully loads. Then you should be able to read the full article.

To me, monstrous means just that. Something like, it is ok to run human experiments implanting probes into kids brains, that kind of thing.

Supporting a budget that will cut things like childcare, or even rescue services? That's not the same, because the fact is that those policies aren't because they hate mums or want people to drown. It's about figuring out what they think will be the best way to allocate resources, the most effective way to run services. And resources are always limited.

Lots of governments make choices that I think aren't going to be effective, or put more emphasis on one thing when I would rather have it on another. That doesn't mean it is accurate to say they do it because they are happy about bad outcomes or don't care about people.

Just as an example, I personally am somewhat wary of universal state supported childcare, because i think effectively what it does is force mums of young children into work, because they can't justify the cost of not doing it, and I think that is a deeply anti-woman approach.

I don't think people that believe universal childcare is a good policy idea are monsters though. They are looking to uphold a good, one they think will play out differently, perhaps, or they think it will have other impacts, whatever.

To me this is an important distinction.

mangy, the “cynical” bit was about him taking these steps in the hope voters will forget about the recent turmoil rather than because he believes them to be right and necessary in a democracy.

Personally, I think a change of PM should only ever be voted for either by the whole electorate or by the MPs of the ruling party. I therefore have no issues with how he came to the post. I also think that governing contrary to the manifesto is very concerning (from a democracy pov) so no issues with his stance on that either.

I didn’t vote Tory, and disagree with many of their policies. But most of the country disagreed with me, and so I can accept the MPs governing in line with their electoral promises. Can’t promise I won’t campaign against some them, of course!

I think that the ‘Many’ who find her abhorrent are not in the Conservative Party.

This - very intelligent young lady/ also don’t agree with all of her views but definitely one to watch. Her speech in the commons regarding CRT is brilliant.

Predictable glee on the MN ‘feminist’ board. I don’t know how KB will be. Shit, most likely.

Cutting rescue services isn’t necessarily monstrous. RNLI is funded by donations. If the government don’t want to contribute beyond gift aid and allowing the charity status, then fine. But, in my view, deliberately allowing immigration enforcement officers to risk lives at sea is monstrous. There is (in my mind) a big difference between failing to act to save a life and deliberately endangering a life. A government which does the latter, with no imminent risk to the health or safety of (other) citizens, is making a monstrous decision.

I do, of course, acknowledge that my personal history is probably impacting my view on this one issue, which is why I was upfront about it.

I agree with you on universal childcare though.

I was not aware that I was required to not be vague and pointless! I CBA to list out everything that everyone already knows. If you want specifics (re)watch the leaders' debates for starters. The right of the Tory party is not going to help women.

Maybe you could provide specifics, evidence, links, fresh information or insight to counter my vague and pointless views?

Don't you know as long as she knows what a woman is she can do what she likes.

Its clear that you don't have specific evidence to back up your 'monstrous views' claim.

I don't know much about KB tbh but if people are going go claim that a member of our governing cabinet is a 'right wing extremist' then I'd quite like to see the evidence if that.

Equalities minister who voted against laws to promote equality and human rights. You couldn’t make this shit up.

My point really is that trying to make policy and allocate resources is always an exercise in choosing some things over others, or some outcomes over others, or some sacrifices over others. All within what is possible in terms of budget, resources, the voters, the political landscape, the international situation.

It's never, do everything you'd like to do under ideal circumstances.

And then bad choices can also be made because people assess the situation or likely outcomes incorrectly. Maybe due to incompetence, or maybe there is just not enough information, whatever.

There are jobs where people risk their lives, I was in one, my husband was too.

There have been rare occasions where I think a policy reflects thinking that truly doesn't give a shit. But usually it's just not that personal.

I just don't see these lists as useful at all.

What was the legislation, and more importantly, why did she choose to vote as she did?

That's always the most important point.

Agree with a PP:

'I will never vote Tory so I'm not delighted by anything that's happening now, but given we're stuck with this government pro tem it's good we don't have a TWAW person in the Women and Equalities post. That's about as far as I can go?'

Was that an abstention? I thought she was just absent from the commons that day, rather than choosing to abstain?

They usually mean anyone who is to the right of Lenin.

One thing that is related to this for me is that I find that in recent years, I put a lot more weight on whether a politician is intelligent, as opposed to political stripe.

I think KB is really smart, and that counts for a lot.

Well meaning but dim people can cause a lot of damage.

Are you on glue?

What, from the Department for International Trade?

Do you mean, she made an ‘out there’ suggestion about school budgets some time ago when weighing up her own leadership bid?

Yeah these awful right views like believing women are really women

Yes when people get called right wing for refusing to believe TWAW , then I can’t take any accusations of anyone being right wing without complete proof seriously any more. Yet another way in which gender ideology has reduced what should be a serious accusation to ‘they won’t agree with me’

Yes when people get called right wing for refusing to believe TWAW , then I can’t take any accusations of anyone being right wing without complete proof seriously any more. Yet another way in which gender ideology has reduced what should be a serious accusation to ‘they won’t agree with me

Absolutely agree 100% with this.

Also laughing at the poster who recommended an article by the NYT to explain CRT as if the NYT is impartial on this subject. Perhaps that poster should read "woke Racism" by John McWhorter.

We have Kemi to thank for commissioning the Cass review which has precipitated some major developments in women's and children's rights recently which were under threat from trans ideology. Seems like a perfect fit for equalities minister.

TRA tactics 101.

1. Accuse anyone questioning the mantra ‘TWAW’ of being far right. DO NOT MENTION ROSIE DUFFIELD.

2. If possible, use a Conservative politician to channel this. DO NOT MENTION CRISPIN BLUNT.

3. Pretend that these ‘far right feminists’ are all obsessed with toilets. DO NOT MENTION PRISONS.