Minister for Women and Equalities

I’m with you Terribull 👍

I was horrified to see that Annaliese had been appointed Minister for Women when she obviously is not prepared to give a biological/true description of a woman. J K Rowling who I admire for her bravery, has already warned the public about Annaliese months ago.

Although I am not a Socialist I am prepared to acknowledge any positive moves in the Labour Party and this isn’t one of them.

We do have to wait and see what comes down the line before jumping in. I think we have acquired of late a wonderful unofficial spokesperson in JK Rowling who is formidable in championing women in so many respects, also others such as Sharon Davies, Kathleen Stock. I trust these women and others like them to fight a good fight for our protected spaces, women's sport and the language of how we wish to describe ourselves in the traditional way and to shun some of the new terminology that is often insulting.

This was when the Labour Party were in their Woke Wagon phase. Then fortunately the grownups got the conche and common sense took over.

AGAA4

I will wait and see how it goes but I just hope the LP don't pander to the TRAs at the expense of women.

That’s what I hope too.
Hopefully there will soon be clarification on this issue.

I will wait and see how it goes but I just hope the LP don't pander to the TRAs at the expense of women.

Women need safe spaces, and no one should be changing their position on this just because they support the Labour Party. It shouldn’t really even be a party political issue, but unfortunately some politicians have made it so, so maybe because it suits the agenda, or because they support minority rights and don’t want to upset the trans lobby. Well the vociferous few in the trans lobby aren’t afraid of upsetting anyone. Most trans people probably want to live a quiet life. Anyone, politician or not, needs to realise that biology cannot be changed and a man cannot become a woman even though a man can decide to live as a woman. They should be okay with using the baby change/disability facilities which are gender neutral and not be demanding to use women’s safe spaces, and Labour politicians and politicians of any other party need to realise this. It’s really quite straightforward.

Galaxy

I think we wait. It doesnt fill me with a great deal of hope but let's wait.
Anyone involved in this discussion knows exactly the nonsense labour came out with in the past, I think it isnt fair to say that people arent well informed on labours previous position. However when people change their mind we do have to accept that otherwise there was no point in the work of many many women.

That’s how I see it, Galaxy. I have in no way changed my mind about any of this, and of course I’m well aware of the daft things that have been said, but I have always felt that the LP were treading a line between sense and expediency. They were always at risk of being quoted out of context by the press, and the last thing they needed was to have their campaign derailed by TRAs. Let’s not forget the extent to which Stonewall had captured institutions when these things were said. The Tories only started kicking back when it was clear that their popularity was shot, and the factions started showing their hands.

I, along with many feminists, will be watching closely, and hoping for change, but I have no intention of stalling that change by dragging up the past. They will know that many women have held their noses when voting, and as I say, I can’t believe that intelligent people believed the nonsense anyway. I don’t think YC has a great track record on this issue - she has a trans child I believe? In my fantasy cabinet Rosie Duffield would have been Minister for Women, but that’s the trouble with fantasies - they can make reality seem tame.

The LP has been in power less than a week. Let’s give them some grace and a bit of time. We’ve waited a long time for change in this regard - at least let’s find out what the official policy is going to be? My pitchfork and torch are at the ready if needs be

So depressing.

Women are not the same as water.
Just nipping this in the bud before another 'movement' starts

It’s easy to “talk the talk” achieving the changes within existing regulation is going to be impossible. As for attracting investors, they are only interested if they are paid a worthwhile profit.

For example investors in the water industry do it for profit not for charity, if Thames Water cannot attract investors nothing gets improved. If the government takes over they still have to attract investors to pay for improvements.

This isn’t an official statement of policy.

I think we wait. It doesnt fill me with a great deal of hope but let's wait.
Anyone involved in this discussion knows exactly the nonsense labour came out with in the past, I think it isnt fair to say that people arent well informed on labours previous position. However when people change their mind we do have to accept that otherwise there was no point in the work of many many women.

You’re always a staunch supporter of women’s safe spaces Doodledog, and so am I.
I won’t contact my MP about Labour policy though, since I’ve got a Conservative MP still, and we don’t yet know what the official policy will be.
I’m not a fan of Anneliese Dodds though, so I haven’t got great expectations of her. I’d have liked to see someone like Yvette Cooper in this role, but I suppose that was never going to happen.

No, it shows that that was the LP policy at the time. I’ll wait to see what it is now before reacting. If it’s remotely similar to that I shall be in touch with my new Labour MP.

Agree Mollygo.
It’s an old quote, but disturbing nonetheless.

It wasn’t how long ago (that was easy enough to find out) that I found strange. It was the fact that he appointed someone unsure of or unwilling to say what a woman is -as minister for women and equality.
I think it reflects badly on his choice-unless it was deliberate and reflects what he really thinks.

You have a point Wyllow3. Although it seems like a verbatim response to a question. I will look into it further tomorrow though.

henetha

I find it seriously disturbing. Is this what we are in for now! It's mad..

I just advise - don't believe what you read without checking

Toll Roads? Appeared last year under committee advising conservatives.

www.telegraph.co.uk/money/net-zero/britain-electric-car-future-toll-roads-higher-income-tax/

Prisoners have the vote?
pa.media/blogs/fact-check/fact-check-labours-manifesto-has-not-promised-to-give-prisoners-the-vote/

If people make allegations, please give sources not make wild allegations.

I find it seriously disturbing. Is this what we are in for now! It's mad..

There’s a lot of flesh to be put on the very bare bones and I think many will not like the detail when it’s revealed. Lots of grandiose talk about attracting investment - I have yet to see an investor who isn’t looking for a good financial return. More disastrous PFI? More toll roads? We shall see. RR talked about hard choices and difficult decisions so many times this morning that I lost count,

But is five years all they’ll get though?
There are plans afoot like giving votes to schoolchildren, which could keep them in power for longer, heaven help us.
I’ve also heard rumours about giving prisoners the vote, which ties in quite nicely with releasing them early doesn’t it?

I’ve always said it won’t take long for this government to show its true colours, and as we can see from this ‘what is a woman’ nonsense, it’s already started.

We’ve also learned that the Green Belt isn’t safe from a massive house building plan.
Who are these houses for?
Well, we all know the answer to that, don’t we?

I made a resolution to try and be positive re the new government, the appointment of James Timpson was a good start, I just pray they don’t go all woke.

The O/P has to be kidding - using a twitter post from 2022 and passing it off as contemporary!