Only women standing for Deputy Leader of the Labour Party

[IwantToRetire]

Not sure if it is going to make any difference whoever it is.

Bridget Phillipson
Bell Ribeiro-Addy
Dame Emily Thornberry
Lucy Powell
Paula Barker
Alison McGovern

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/all-contenders-replace-angela-rayner-labours-deputy-leader-3904804

(There may be a better article, just happened upon this one first.)

I’ve heard more than once on R4 that the new Deputy Leader needs to be a Northern woman, I.e. not a man with his constituency in London. But why Northern? There’s lots of other places outside London. It pisses me off, the mythologising of “the North” over the whole of the rest of the country

I would imagine it’s to do with the Unions.

Looks like it is down to 2: Phillipson v Powell
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/lucy-powell-bridget-phillipson-bell-ribeiroaddy-labour-commons-b2824472.html

I didn't think any would be remotely GC so was thinking about who wouldn't just be a meek follower. But if there is someone ever remotely in favour of women's sex based rights, lets hope they win.

And even if it is a tokenistic post, would be good to have a deputy leader of the ruling party who knows that sex is biological.

Thank you for checking. It’s left me quite upbeat. Someone who actively believes in single sex spaces and completely supports the SC ruling is honestly way more than I’ve come to expect or even hope for. 😊

My MP's response to my email advocating single sex space and in particular the L Community case against Southwark council.

This is what he had to say about BP: "Thank you so much for writing to me regarding same sex spaces. I completely understand your concerns and I do agree that it is important to uphold same sex spaces for the safety of women. We have our minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson has experience protecting single sex spaces, who ran a refuge for women fleeing abuse and who served on the APPG on Domestic and Sexual Violence. The failure of Southwark council to provide these spaces is a failure and puts women’s safety at risk.

I hope it can reassure you that I am aware of this case and will ensure that the relevant people in the Government continue meaningful discussion."

No problem. I left the party some time ago so I don't have a vote.

I have to say I can't remember BP ever standing up in public for Rosie Duffield, which leaves me feeling lukewarm towards her. On the other hand, I can appreciate that by keeping her head down, she's arguably achieved a position of power and influence. Plus I think it was BP who resisted attempts by activists to block Mary Ann Stevenson's appointment to the EHRC.

So yes, if I still had a say in the matter, I'd vote for her too!

Edited cos I'd written 'clock' instead of 'block'!

Me too, @Floisme as a former member.

Reform is an awful thought. And five years in government is time enough for them to destroy plenty of lives while we’re waiting for their supporters to realise Farage promises either the impossible or the horrific (eg sending Afghan women asylum seekers back to the Taliban). But the major parties need to get a grip and start addressing voters’ concerns urgently. I’m not sure if Labour are sitting on their hands because of lawyers or threats from their own backbenchers and unions but, either way, it’s not a good look.

This leadership election could become hugely embarrassing for Labour as it highlights that they have evolved to become a party where men lead and the best that women can hope for is the deputy position that does not carry a lot of power. I have never voted Tory but their three women leaders, three of them PMs, stands in stark contrast to Labours record. Not only have Labour never elected woman leader but no woman has ever even finished above a man in a leadership race.

These are the results since a woman first ran for leadership in 1994 - nineteen years after Margaret Thatcher was elected Tory leader. I have placed them in the order that they finished

1994 Blair beats Brown, John Prescott and Margaret Beckett

2007 Brown elected unopposed

2010 Ed Miliband beats David Miliband, Ed Balls, Andy Burnham and Dianne Abbot

2015 Corbyn beats Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall - they finish in that order

2016 Corbyn beats Owen Smith - no women run

2020 Starmer beats Rebecca Long Bailey and Lisa Nandy

In that last one, Labour were desperate for no other men to even stand as it looked so bad but Starmer easily won. Now they are equally keen for no men to stand as deputy, the best they can do is to stage manage a women into a support role. I am surprised Kemi Badenoch is not all over it like a rash already although I guess Starmer has been making other embarrassing mistakes this week

Cant find more recent threads, so posting here.

I think results are to be announced tomorrow, 25th?

First job to get EHRC interim guidelines through HoC?

One of the things I despare about the Labour leadership - not just this one, but most of them - is their patronising approach to both women and the public. Almost of their leaders in my lifetime have been middle aged, middle class, and middling (at best) ability white men. The allow women, preferably northern, to take certain roles, because they think it impresses what used to be their core vote - the so called red wall. It’s just manipulation. There’s plenty to criticise about the conservatives, but it’s more than 50 years since they had a women leader of the party, and they have had three (one, admittedly, a car crash) women prime ministers. They’ve also had a Black and Asian leader. Why is the Labour Party such an inherently sexist, racist, anti-Semitic organisation, and why do people accept it?

10am today, according to the news bulletin I just heard. I wonder if theyr'e regretting applying now. Going to be a very tough job in current conditions.

Lucy Powell has won. Oh dear.

Thank god we've got the Supreme Court judgment.

Perhaps Phillipson can get back to doing her job without the excuse of this nothing contest then?

Be nice to think so. And that she now feels that a little Fuck You to Powell might be in order, so let's get that guidance out there asap, yeah?

It's strange, isn't it, when the stereotype of the left is that they are inclusive (I don't mean "inclusive" in the usual men-can be-women sense!) and meritocratic, while the stereotype of the right is that they are misogynistic and racist.

I cant quite remember the figure quoted but apparenly only around 16% of those who could vote did.

So victory on the same level of approval as Labour's own victory.

As a Northern woman I hate this too and that they are held up as "role models" to Northern Women. As if we can't find our own role models. It is extreme misogyny.

Plus Starmer's lot will never be role models to me or my daughter!

I happened to be in a large waiting room of people where the news channel was playing on tv, including Powell's acceptance speech, and no one in the room was listening or interested. The switch off was quite pointed, the electorate are over the whole 'we're changing you for the better and you'll love it once we've done it to you' bit.

Yes, Powell is likely to actively help the coming attempt to 'water down' the SCJ (how do you 'water down' women having single sex space rights?) but frankly this needs to be got right out and unpacked, in full view of the electorate, in depth. It's like the ECtHR - let's do it. No more kicking balls into the long grass and hoping the difficult conversations can happen on someone else's watch.

Baffles me too.

Off topic but related, I heard on the news about the results of the election for President in Ireland (2 women candidates) and that it was a really low turnout.

But also in one polling area they thought as much as a third of the ballot papers were spoilt, with messages written on them.

On reflection I hope this isn't an indication that if an election is between 2 women, most aren't bothered.

Powell was a thoughtless idiot over grooming gangs and she’s a thoughtless idiot over this issue too. Well done Labour, excelling yourselves.

Just another indication that voters are idiots (this time Labour voters) and that they apparently want their party to be out next election but what a mess it’s going to be. Without a written constitution, Farage can do all kind of damage and just as to look across the Atlantic for ideas on how to undermine democratic institutions and principles.

I don’t know how we got to this point where the political establishment feels so out of touch that people are seriously considering parties they wouldn’t have even looked at 15 years ago.

But I’ve seen countless comments, news articles, and YouTube discussions from people willing to vote for alternatives like Reform. They know the road ahead will be difficult, but they’re done with a political bubble that not only blatantly ignores or downplays their concerns but seems to have absolutely no idea—none. The next election will basically be massive two fingers up to the establishment

From the comments it’s clear that they’re not under any illusion that it’ll be easy, but right now they just don’t care—they want to shake it all up, a feeling of burning it all down, and see something new emerge. Of that, I have no idea .

I just think we’re in for a few very rocky years ahead.