Anneliese Dodds' resignation

[OhBuggerandArse]

Not because of sex or gender, but because of the decision to cut the Overseas Development budget. But inevitably there will be a knock-on effect on the Equalities brief - who will come next, I wonder, and will they be as committed as Dodds seemed to be to the TRA agenda?

https://x.com/AnnelieseDodds/status/1895447590789075008

ie

Bridget Phillipson was appointed Secretary of State for Education on 5 July 2024 and Minister for Women and Equalities on 8 July 2024.

and

Anneliese Dodds was Minister for Development at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Minister for Women and Equalities at the Department for Education from 8 July 2024 until 28 February 2025.

I never understood this.

I shudder to think, given that the dozen 'trans' zombies she brought on to the committee with her are not likely to be stepping down with her, I can only assume it's going to be bad, very bad for women.

I'd rather not have a Women and Equality Committee, than one that is hell bent on writing women out of the narrative of human race, and erasing us from existence.

She isn't part of the W&EC.

I thought she was the head of it, as part of her role as Minister for Women and Equalities.

Agree with PP that it is a good letter, and only wish more Labour MPs had been willling to challenge whoever it is that takes decisions and then informs Cabinet Members, who are in fact meant to be part of the decisions making. eg WFP (or did someone resign and I've forgotten?)

I think (on paper) Committees are set up as cross party groups to scrutinise the work of departments and ministers.

Select committees in the Commons are designed to oversee the work of departments and agencies, examine topical issues affecting the country or individual regions or nations, and review and advise on the procedures, workings and rules of the House.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_committees_of_the_United_Kingdom

Although equally it seems Ministers can stand up to them.

ie it was the W&EC who insisted that the GRA should be ammended and this started the consultation as the Minister went along with their "recommendation" as the "experts".

But then a Minister or was it the PM said we will ignore the consultation results.

I'm quoting myself because I've now googled it, and it's not her, I must be thinking of her team at a minister, but I'll have to look that up as well.

This is the one I was thinking of 'The Women and Equalities Unit is part of the Office for Equality and Opportunity. We lead work on policy relating to gender equality, LGBT+ people and the overall framework of equality legislation in the UK.' which is lead by the Minister for Women and Equalities.

Sorry, just owing up to my mistake.

Sorry I must have cross posted.

Well, it's nice to know that she has some common sense principles.

I thought she was the head of it, as part of her role as Minister for Women and Equalities.

A particular highlight of Kemi Badenochs tenure as Minister for W&E was when the WESC attempted to grill her.

Shame they used the word gender.

But the Women's Budget Group is quite influential.

So glad they are at least saying that women deserve a dedicated Minister of State.

https://www.wbg.org.uk/article/government-must-prioritise-gender-equality-and-restore-a-dedicated-secretary-of-state-for-women-and-equalities/

Labour Women's Declaration have tweeted that Jacqui Smith, aka Baroness Smith of Malvern, is the new Minister for Women and Equalities.

I can't remember her ever saying a single thing about sex and gender. Then again, maybe that's why she got the gig.

https://labourwomensdeclaration.org.uk/lwd-welcomes-the-new-minister-for-women-and-equalities/

Couldn't they have found someone who is currently an MP.

Not an MP who lost her seat after she (allegedly) claimed expenses not due, and whose husband "used taxpayer money to purchase pornographic videos".

It really does seem that the Labour Party is actually run for a small group of friends. No shame at having messed up.

Just think…it could have been Harriet Harman.

There are grounds for cautious optimism in Smith's appointment. She tries to play both sides, but I think she trends to reality:

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab Nov 2024
"I agree—a woman is an adult female, and her biological sex may well determine what services she needs from the NHS. That is why it is important that, in statistics that are used both in the census and more broadly by our public services, we have a consistent and an agreed approach to that."

Sex and Gender: Official Data debate

https://www.parallelparliament.co.uk/lord/jacqui-smith/debate/2024-11-05/lords/lords-chamber/sex-and-gender-official-data

Also can be seen here discussing JKR here in June 2024

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=330843656778656

I'd definitely rather Smith over Harman.

Yes considering other options it is a step forward. Especially as the appointment has probably been made in the context of Labour doing a wider reverse ferret on gender stuff.

We shall see. As the LWd statement shows there are a lot of big moments upcoming which will put her on the spot.

Very cautiously optimistic about Smith. Probably due to having been out of frontline politics for 15 years, she's not coming to this with much baggage.

I'd forgotten she was back as a minister. Starmer seems quite fond of giving out peerages so he can get his people in as ministers without them having to be elected. No reflection on the individual ministers - putting James Timpson in charge of prisons was quite inspired - and every PM does it to some extent, but he does do it quite a bit.

I have it from two known GC MPs that JS is GC. My informants are people I trust. I've also been told that there is no need to worry about the conversion therapy bill proceeding any further. That can has been kicked so deep into the undergrowth that no one can be bothered to go looking for it.

I am quietly hopeful that Labour is reorganising the furniture as opportunities arise, hoping no one's paying too much attention, so that in a while there will be hardly any genderists visible or audible and they can pretend that there was never anything to make a fuss about.

Well, that would be nice! Hope you're right.

I don’t understand why she resigned. It seemed to be a fairly clear choice between cutting overseas aid or cutting welfare or public services in the UK. I don’t think the Government had much choice.

Anneliese Dodds has had an interest/ specialism in overseas aid for many years and when the budget was massively cut in order to fund defence without any discussion with her she resigned in protest and as a matter of principal. I can understand why and respect her for it, as well as jumping up and down in pleasure at seeing another genderist gone.

Overseas aid is an effective form of soft diplomacy/ power that can help maintain good relationships with developing countries and sometimes does good for their populations at the same time. It helps keep potentially strategic countries on side.

@Pluvia yep and the letter is clear on what the ramifications are.

It's always the knee jerk action of all Governments.

Just as they are now going round saying lazy Gen Z on the dole are giong to have their money cut.

Just like they cut the WFA instead of implementing in the coming years some sort of sliding scale dependent on total income, rather than the cliff edge they used.

Never ever a suggestion of say taxing all the properties standing empty that have been bought as investment. Never ever taxes on people who get unprecedently high bonuses.

Never ever raising the tax on income over a higher level.

All Governments, including so called Labour, go for the ones with the least voice and having the least respect.

I was actually heartened to find an MP who still has some sort of moral standards.