Walaa’s Weekly Wrap-Up ~ February 1st, 2014 – A Mumsnet Special!

Happy February!

In honour of my induction to Mumsnet Bloggers Network, I will this week glaze over Ed & Ed’s unrealistic 50p Tax palaver. I mean what is there to say that haven’t been said already? Labour had thirteen years to introduce and implement a 50p Tax rate but didn’t. And, they only did before the last election because they knew they weren’t going to win the election and wanted to stitch up the Tories. Maybe they know something about the coming election too!

Either way, the 50p Tax has backfired and now, it’s their trademark – Labour is the anti-business, anti-aspiration and the envy party.

I will also not discuss the Immigration Debate, the Referendum Bill or the weather and its plight!

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A few weeks ago, Jessica Lee, Member of Parliament for the marginal seat of Erewash and Private Parliamentary Secretary (PPS) to Dominic Grieve, became the fourth woman MP form the 2010 intake, after Louise Mensch, Lorraine Fullbrook and Laura Sandys, to announce her departure.

All four women were very successful in their respective fields before entering parliament, all showed resilience and determination in achieving what they want including becoming a Member of Parliament.

One stepping down is normal. Two is a coincident but four from the same group quit and alarm bells start to ring. Mainly as many of these women went in knowing beforehand, the House of Commons is a male dominated environment and the job of an MP can be very demanding on personal and family life, let alone holding any ministerial post. How do I know that? I attended all the per- selection training given by Women2Win and CCHQ and delivered by the best in the field of public speaking, selection and hustings preparations, and media training.

Add to that, most of the 2010 intake nursed their seats for over two years before the election, so they were/became virtually local to the area and the people they represent. Furthermore, they all know and understand the importance of incumbency especially in a marginal seat.

So what happened? What went wrong between then and now?

I do not want to sound uncharitable, but something is not quite right when even professional women who are fully prepared for the job, like Lorraine Fullbrook for instance – who fought two elections before getting elected – half way through their first term feel they are not up to the job. Something clearly is the matter?

And it can’t be political differences, because first The Conservatives is a very broad church, and secondly if the differences were so profound they can defect or become an independent. It also can’t be (as some lefties would want us to believe) David Cameron’s leadership – most these women are A’Listers AKA Cameron’s Cuties – they were handpicked form the candidates’ list.

So what’s wrong with the House of Commons? Why are these fabulous women who succeeded in their chosen fields outside Parliament quitting? Particularly as, more than most, they saw first-hand the difficulty of governing in coalition, and the repair our country had to undergo to bring it from the brink of total economic oblivion.

I know some men are stepping down too, but none is from the 2010 intake, most have spent a lifetime in parliament and all are stepping down from safe Tory seats!

Conservative female MPs are a hot and rare commodity. The 2010 class had the largest number of female entry, but it looks like it will trump that with the largest female dropout.

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While we are on subject of Conservative female MPs, a couple of weeks ago I mentioned a friend of mine (a former Parliamentary Candidate) decide to stand as independent in the 2015 general election.

This week another female friend, also a former Tory PPC has informed me she will be forming and standing for her own party in 2015!

Last night we learnt Ann McIntosh MP was deselected by her Conservative Association and will have to either reapply for her current seat or stand as an independent in the next election.

Is it just me or is something seriously the matter?

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