Uh oh. The ‘all-women shortlist’ is again being touted as a good idea for the Conservatives, this time by Nicky Morgan, the new women’s minister. When asked about using shortlists to increase the number of female MPs, she told a Mumsnet chat: ‘I do think the big issue is we just aren’t getting enough women coming forward (which is an issue for all Parties). I think we need to see where we end up in 2015 and if we are still struggling to get more women MPs then no option is off the table.’ In response, a senior Conservative has said that quotas are ‘categorically not an option’.
Why can’t people like Morgan see that an all-women shortlist (or any form of social engineering) is a bad idea? It is women who end up looking weak and incapable each time it is discussed. The fact that the position of Minister for Women exists, without a corresponding Minister for Men, already stinks of sickly sweet patronisation.
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