Kemi Badenoch: Diversity obsession has led to Kafkaesque madness (KB for PM?)

[IwantToRetire]

Another really straightforwarded down to earth practical commentary of where chasing the rainbow has led us. And ideas on how Government cant, without being dictatorial help solve the mess.

The root of the problem is a fundamental misunderstanding of the Equality Act 2010, often exploited by those with a separate agenda. The Equality Act is a shield, not a sword. It is about preventing discrimination, not social engineering. There are no protected groups in the act, only protected characteristics. A white man is just as protected on the characteristics of race and sex as a black woman, yet many believe the act is there just to protect minorities, when in reality it protects us all.

Many companies’ diversity and inclusion activities are falling foul of the law; for example by confusing legal positive action and positive discrimination, which is illegal — except when selecting political candidates (a handy get-out-clause Labour devised to use all-women shortlists). Encouraging people from underrepresented backgrounds to apply for a job or go for a promotion is positive action, and legal. Restricting applications for a position to a certain group is positive discrimination and most certainly isn’t. This has led to increasing calls for the Equality Act to be scrapped. The act is 13 years old and could be improved but the issue is not the law. It’s bad actors misrepresenting it to suit their agenda.

Many of these laws were written at a time when institutions knew how to self-regulate. Someone proposing a terrible idea would be checked by colleagues in the organisation. Today, those colleagues are scared of being called bigots for disagreeing, so they say nothing. What the Farage and Sawers cases have done is show that this problem is getting worse. Long-held tenets of liberal democracy — freedom of association, freedom of conscience, the presumption of innocence — are being tossed aside in favour of dubious inclusion strategies that themselves fall foul of the law. In some cases they’re cancelling people before any wrongdoing occurs, leaving them with no way to prove their innocence.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/kemi-badenoch-banking-scandal-natwest-niigel-farage-wdp3mmq0w
Also available via archive.ph

Are you not aware that people have been trying to engage with the Labour Party, utterly unsuccessfully, for years. Why do you think people are so angry ?

You sound a bit overwrought
Coutts cannot comment in full because of legal reasons. But they have said it wasn't just because of his personal or political views.

I think really we should wait and see, rather than let Farage and the press be judge jury and executioner.

They've been robustly engaging with them. They haven't listened.

Even if they appeared to now, I have exactly zero faith they wouldn't roll back on everything they say come 1 week in government.

Gender ideology is part and parcel of what comes with left wing parties. Like paper comes with fish and chips.

My fear is a left leaning government on both sides of the pond.

Just to diverge slightly the Trump stuff is ramping up, I haven’t seen any threads on it (and yes could start one but not that committed)

Did you read the link upthread about what the Conservative party did to David Davies a while back?

This isn't a party political issue. 5 years ago all the parties supported self-ID and branded people who didn't transphobic. The Conservatives have been quicker to state a turn around is all.

US politics is not comparable, they are much more polarised than here. Posts like yours paradoxically push us to be more like the US, not less, by asserting that certain viewpoints are associated with certain opinions.

https://twitter.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1662061344814768129

If we're talking about engaging, I'm watching to see if the Labour Party leadership now engage with the admirable Labour Women's Declaration. And I'm not talking about a furtive, undercover meeting, I mean a photocall for Twitter and a stall at next conference - and not just a fringe event please.

Being angry has no real use if you want change. Would you rather be right or would you rather get the changes you want irrespective of party?

For me, it's the latter. Where does you me anger take you? For some, it means they are effectively denying the issue that the government is likely to change.

Put it aside, move to influence.

I couldn’t disagree more. Being angry has got us so far.

Look at where we are today compared to a couple of years ago.

Brilliant. We’re only at the beginning but so happy to share this fight with other GC women on here

All those who kept saying don’t be angry, no one cares, or tried to shut it down

Really not much time for those posters

Put it aside, move to influence.

Apart from thinking this stance is a bit Labour sales-y

What are you doing to influence? Are you part of the Labour party? What are you doing

Apart from: Hats off to pp for trying but it’s likely pointless

Its interesting that a thread based on an article about how people and companies are misusing the EA hasn't had any feedback on that issue apart from 3 or 4 posts, unless you count the person who thought that KB was saying exactly the opposite to what she wrote, which is that the UK does NOT have positive discrimination.

Instead most seem to have got diverted into a joke about KB for PM which is never going to happen because the Tories are going to lose, not because Labour is better but because the Tories have run out of steam and even if they are doing better the media aren't going to report it. And again to repeat myself, I very much doubt KB will stay on to be leader of the opposition, added to which according to a post from a local constituent, nobody will mind if she moves on as she doesn't seem to bother much with local constituency work.

And as to "engaging" or whatever, for most of us because of FPP our votes are irrelevant. If you are in a marginal you may have the opportunity to influence. The only influence we might have is if the media decide to still bring up the issue of "what is a woman".

Although whether Labour becomes the majority party may have much more to do with what happens in Scotland. If the SNP continue to lose voters and they all move to Labour then they may get into power. Labour has always needed the Scottish seats to get a majority.

And then we will see whether Starmer's Labour will stand by its tiny concession to GC women, or will swivel back to full on self id etc., to keep Scottish Labour on side.

Who do you think they will prioritise? Women or staying in power?

Don’t forget, though, that the LibDems are targeting seats that would have been considered safe Tory seats until now. There may be more seats up for grabs than normal because even loyal Tory voters are sick of them. Labour in coalition with the LibDems is not good news unless both parties do a U turn on gender issues and so far only Labour are showing signs of doing so.

@CloudyMcCloud - I am not anything to do with Labour.

I do work with politicians of all views. Deciding that you won't talk or engage with certain parties before an election is foolish. It's just the point when they are likely to be revising and changing policy. It's the ideal time.

@FigRollsAlly - exactly. Why would you not, given the need of parties who have been pro self ID to capture new votes and eliminate the "culture war" style of some Conservatives?

I was told on here the Labour Party would not change. But they have already shifted from six months ago. The timing is absolutely right to start capitalizing on the mistakes of the SNP in Scotland with their hard headed style.

I can see you work with politicians you can’t answer a straight question.

What is a it you actually want people to do?

How are you influencing anyone? Actual examples, you’re incredibly vague.

If someone comes to my doorstep don’t worry I’ll let them know how I feel. I’ll be added to ‘no one is talking about it’ list by the Labour MP. Yeh that’s ace 👍

So your turn, what is your actual influence as someone who ‘is not anything to do with Labour’

But they have already shifted from six months ago

Also Labour shifting IS because women on here have been angry enough to keep speaking up

Good on us.

No thanks to the don’t rock the boat lot.

What we’re doing is working

Not that I trust them still..

But yeh they want to look like it’s a shift

Due to women speaking up, including angry ones

@CloudyMcCloud - okay, so that's me speaking to who I think is in a position to move this along. For you, maybe it's an MP if it's Labour, for me, its called "work".

How do you think the TRA got such input btw? Do you think they ignored political parties and didn't get involved? The answer is that they did, across the board, and they were very successful.

GC people need to return to the parties they support. Not sit outside and make demands. All the changes achieved have been in law. We need the lawmakers, not just the judges on our side. Otherwise this issue will be coming up for a spot of revision at every election.

My second thought was that there is little point in engaging with people who use their gender critical views - which I share - as a justification for supporting far right politicians.

My time would be much better invested in engaging with politicians on the left and trying to persuade them to see sense. I am never going to change the views of the right wing cheerleaders who clearly see the gender debate as a great platform for recruiting new supporters.

I don't believe for a moment that anyone who really cared about the rights of women would actually consider voting Tory.

GC people need to return to the parties they support.

GC need to make their own decisions, not yours. And no I don’t support Labour in any way so you are not including me in that description. I cannot stand their anti women approach.

We need the lawmakers and you’re doing this how? What does the average Jo do to get lawmakers?

If it’s your ‘work’ then go for it, earn your wage. As a non politically paid member of the electorate I will use my voice as I wish and my vote. If Labour get in and screw women over then those who voted for it will be responsible.

I’ve tried via platforms as I can, that’s my part.

Except I don't have a party any more. My respect and my trust for Labour has gone (at least for now) and no words - whether of disapproval or encouragement - are going bring that back.

So no, much as I might admire the women who've stuck at it, I won't be going back thanks. It will be as much as I can manage to vote for them - if I do. That's on them. Instead I'll be thinking about and looking for ways to engage outside of party political lines.
I of enno amount of persuasion about

GC people need to return to the parties they support.

There is no evidence that in any of the political parties being "inside the tent" gives you any more clout. In fact all too often all these parties operate on the hidden networks of friendship etc..

There is some evidence that effective campaign groups (who unfortunately have to rely of MSM to amplify their voice) do have an influence.

In the past during the run up to general elections women's groups used to organise hustings in their area, and it was always interesting to see which parties thought it worth while sending a spokesperson to.

I wonder if the various gender critical campaign groups would agree to a shared platform to ask a representative from each party to come and answer questions from the audience.

I can see 2 problems with that, although would be interesting.

GC groups wont work together.

The existing political parties would not attend as they would say it was a fringe issue (and would be terrified that TRAs would condemn them for being on such a platform.)

Excuse the final line of letter salad - delete failure.

And yet here you are. Doing that typically arrogant left take on telling other women what they do or don’t care about.

Good luck shifting Labour from gender ideology, I’m sure you’ve been ultra critical so far. Oh hang on…

Who's far Right in UK? Suella Braverman, Kemi Badenoch, Miriam Cates? I'm just guessing because I could imagine this would be the response from anyone dropping the usual lazy tropes that GCs promote the Alt Right.

I'm not telling anyone what they do or don't care about. I am merely stating that I don't personally believe anyone who says that they genuinely care about women - all women, rather than just the rich, privileged ones - and chooses to vote Tory. I am entitled to my opinion. You are entitled to disagree.