Monday 23 March 2009

All women shortlists

My good friend Kezia Dugdale mounted a fine attack on misogyny and a spirited defence of Labour's all-women shortlists and then spoiled it a wee bit by becoming partisan (not something I ever do). People may have been intrigued by her assertion that Labour has "well over 300 members" in her constituency given that Labour's membership numbers are falling, the figures in Edinburgh are:
Edinburgh East - 356
Edinburgh North & Leith - 364
Edinburgh South - 425
Edinburgh South West - 395
Edinburgh West - 194

Meaning that the SNP has more members than Labour in every single seat in Edinburgh - and our membership is growing.

But back to the main point of my wittering - Kezia pointed out the rule that applies to Labour selection:
the Labour Party's current policy - led by Harriet Harman - is that all seats where the incumbent Labour MP is standing down should be all women shortlists

Which would seem awfy clear, but other Labour bloggers suggest that it may, just possibly, be a bit less clear than that.

Come on Labour, sort yourself out!

2 comments:

Vronsky said...

Labour need to find some third gender - their women don't work, their men don't work....

Kezia Dugdale said...

Hello Calum,

Your always so nice to me when you stick the knife in. really very much appreciated ;)

Anyway - have rebutted some of these points and others made by J Arthur here:

http://macnumpty.blogspot.com/2009/03/rebutting-rebuttal.html