WE extend a warm welcome to Labour women following another male nomination to top job

The Women’s Equality Party today invited female MPs from the Labour Party to join its movement, promising that gender would prove no barrier to their progression to the top jobs. The invitation was made following the news that Steve Rotheram will be Labour's candidate in next year's Mayoral election in Liverpool, after a vote among Labour members in the region.

“There was wry laughter when we heard that yet again the Labour Party has overlooked talented women for its top jobs,” said WEP leader Sophie Walker. “The Labour Party now has a male leader, deputy and shadow chancellor, and will be holding a leadership contest between two men in September after Angela Eagle fell out of the race. In addition, Rotherham joins fellow Mayoral candidates Andy Burnham for Manchester and Sion Simon for theWest Midlands, who will seek to become elected Mayors alongside Sadiq Khan in London and Marvin Rees in Bristol. Where are the women?”

Walker also pointed to the shadow Cabinet appointments made by Corbyn last year, when he selected men to fill the most senior posts in spite of protests from members and supporters of the party. “WE are serious about inviting Labour MPs - and indeed politicians from across the political spectrum - who are sick of being overlooked and sidelined by their own parties because of their gender to join us,” she said.

“In its 116 year history, and in spite of its claims to be the party of equality for all, Labour has never had a female leader,” she continued. “It is almost as if it has forgotten about its female membership, so we also extend a warm hand of welcome to any Labour supporters – male or female – who want political representation from a party that makes gender equality a priority. Labour has, in the past, made great strides in pushing forward on diversity, but now it seems it really does have a women problem – and that’s just not funny.”

Published August 10, 2016