More women, better Cabinet?

[Jeneral2885]

Forget the incoming reshuffle or Harriet Harman's cry that she was not promoted under Gordon Brown. The bigger issue is what does it really mean if you have more women in the cabinet or power? Does it mean a better set of policies and a better country? Margaret Thatcher was definitely a woman but she imparted neoliberal ideas which were detrimental. Men have been in power and have imparted terrible and ok or good policies? Does it really matter if you have more people with the female genes in power?

[Anarcho-Socialist]

1. All-women short-lists are a good idea in the abstract

But Blair and the New Labour neoliberals used the idea in a pseudo-feminist way which was more about parachuting establishment ex-spad Blairbots into safe-Labour seats. It was obscene.

[Jeneral2885]

2. I do't know much

about Blair's female front benchers. What I do want to know is why people think more women is better. If its just for the skae for seeing a female figure in a top spot, then that is plain stupidity.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. It gets things a bit more representative

Like getting more state school pupils in the cabinet would be a good idea. Or more people who didn't read PPE at Oxford. If the cabinet does actually have collective discussions and decisions, then a genuine range of backgrounds would help. And that includes women.

[T_i_B]

5. You could always have....

...public school educated women who've read PPE at Oxford!

Maybe if our politics wasn't dominated by the rich, if there were any incentive for people who aren't loaded to get involved with politics then things might be better?

[LeftishBrit]

4. Well, it seems unfair to have so little representation of half the population...

but I agree that having someone like Maggie Thatcher, or Sarah Palin, or Ann Widdecombe, or Nadine Dorries is hardly going to improve things just because they're female. My MP is a woman, and I despise her (Nicola 'Tory Twit' Blackwood); while the MP for the neighbouring constituency is male and comparatively reasonable: Andrew 'Only Labour MP for Light Years Around' Smith.

I think that having more women MPs in the Cabinet is only fair; but if Liz Truss becomes Education Secretary, something that I fear will happen if we don't get rid of the Tories soon, I shall explode so strongly that you will all hear the BOOM!

[Jeneral2885]

6. Blackwood?

Isn't she the new Conservative face--Tory but supportive of Labour-like issues like international development?

Cabinet members should be those with experience and clear vision, That's vague I know but at least not based on gender.