50/50 is a lot of window dressing!

I cannot get my head around Labour’s hypocritical and confusing attitude towards women.

Today acting leader Harriet Harman has openly called for the Labour Shadow Cabinet to ‘be made up’ of 50/50 women and men. How patronizing – surely she did not think her request would thrill women all over the country.

Some women have to work harder to get to where they want to be – but so does many men. The joy of achieving a goal on merit, as an equal is a great feeling, and Ms Harman’s 50/50 rule kills that pleasure. Not to mention, it is demoralising to feel constantly that you are not there on an even keel.

In different fields, both women and men need help and both should get help where they require it. I understand the need for our politics to reflect the people it represents, and it should, but only when that reflection is accurate and true will it be worthwhile. Forcing change is a short lived window dressing and its disadvantages outweigh its advantages.

For every woman that makes it via the Harperson’s manufactured equality and gender balancing forced inclusion true women rights’ and equality takes a step backwards.