Tag: Mo Mowlam
A women problem.....
jkitleft Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 10:27:38 PM GMT 
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On the 7th anniversary of the day clerical fanatics left 3,000 dead in downtown Manhattan, it will also be the 5th anniversary of the assassination of Swedish foreign minister, Anna Lindh.
If you had asked any Swedish SD member, of who was going to be their next leader and Prime Minister, chances are, most would have said Anna Lindh. After the Cameroon style Conservatives took power in Sweden in 2006, the Social Democrats had a whole list of women that they could choose for leader. People like Margot Wallstrom and Carin Jamtin, as well as Ulrica Messing were considered. Eventually, they chose Mona Sahlin, who I'm sure is going to be the first female PM of Sweden.
In Denmark, Neil Kinnock (bad omen for the Danish Social-Democrats) 's daughter in law, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, is the leader of the Social Democrats. Finland has Tarja Halonen.
In France, they selected Segolene Royal, who I hope wards off her ex-husband for the nomination in 2012. I personally would like Bernard Kouchener to run for PS.
In Spain, Zapatero has shown his feminist policies, in his cabinet composition. It has more women than men, for the first time, and he has been groundbreaking in introducing social reforms in a conservative Catholic society.
There is a difference though between Labour's increase in female MP's, and other countries. Not only do we not have a realistically competent leader after Brown, it is particuarly potent, in the MP's selected by all-female shortlists.
I predict Spain's first female PM could be new defence minister, Carme Chacon, the rising star of the party, while Bibiana Aido has a bright future, and Zapatero's deputy is the respected Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega.
Their are some female MP's from 1997 who are very good. I greatly respect Ann Cryer, and my MP, who is a notoriously great, in getting involved in constituency matters, Siobahn McDonagh. I have alot of time for Yvette Cooper, as I also do for Geraldine Smith. There are also those from the pre-1997 intake I respect, such as Joan Ruddock or Gwyneth Dunwoody.
But gone are the days when we could have had a great female leader. Barbera Castle is the best leader we've never had, in my opinion. Mo Mowlam would have been a great leader.
However, there are people who are neither SCG members nor New Labour flunkies, in the Compass section. I think Helena Kennedy's talents are greatly wasted in the Lords, and she should be, at least, Secretary of Justice. I greatly admire Yasmin Quershi (as well as, and I know he's a man, Chuka Umunna).
So all hope is not lost, but when I see other Social-Democratic parties with women, who are clearly to the left of New Labour, but still moderate, I can conclude that there is much work to be done, if we want to win future elections, and gain the political agenda for the Left.
P.S. Could someone please tell me, the Compass-style candidates being selected other than in Streatham and Bolton South-East?
If you had asked any Swedish SD member, of who was going to be their next leader and Prime Minister, chances are, most would have said Anna Lindh. After the Cameroon style Conservatives took power in Sweden in 2006, the Social Democrats had a whole list of women that they could choose for leader. People like Margot Wallstrom and Carin Jamtin, as well as Ulrica Messing were considered. Eventually, they chose Mona Sahlin, who I'm sure is going to be the first female PM of Sweden.
In Denmark, Neil Kinnock (bad omen for the Danish Social-Democrats) 's daughter in law, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, is the leader of the Social Democrats. Finland has Tarja Halonen.
In France, they selected Segolene Royal, who I hope wards off her ex-husband for the nomination in 2012. I personally would like Bernard Kouchener to run for PS.
In Spain, Zapatero has shown his feminist policies, in his cabinet composition. It has more women than men, for the first time, and he has been groundbreaking in introducing social reforms in a conservative Catholic society.
There is a difference though between Labour's increase in female MP's, and other countries. Not only do we not have a realistically competent leader after Brown, it is particuarly potent, in the MP's selected by all-female shortlists.
I predict Spain's first female PM could be new defence minister, Carme Chacon, the rising star of the party, while Bibiana Aido has a bright future, and Zapatero's deputy is the respected Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega.
Their are some female MP's from 1997 who are very good. I greatly respect Ann Cryer, and my MP, who is a notoriously great, in getting involved in constituency matters, Siobahn McDonagh. I have alot of time for Yvette Cooper, as I also do for Geraldine Smith. There are also those from the pre-1997 intake I respect, such as Joan Ruddock or Gwyneth Dunwoody.
But gone are the days when we could have had a great female leader. Barbera Castle is the best leader we've never had, in my opinion. Mo Mowlam would have been a great leader.
However, there are people who are neither SCG members nor New Labour flunkies, in the Compass section. I think Helena Kennedy's talents are greatly wasted in the Lords, and she should be, at least, Secretary of Justice. I greatly admire Yasmin Quershi (as well as, and I know he's a man, Chuka Umunna).
So all hope is not lost, but when I see other Social-Democratic parties with women, who are clearly to the left of New Labour, but still moderate, I can conclude that there is much work to be done, if we want to win future elections, and gain the political agenda for the Left.
P.S. Could someone please tell me, the Compass-style candidates being selected other than in Streatham and Bolton South-East?
