Fawcett comment on women in the cabinet (28/6/07)

Commenting on the cabinet reshuffle today, Dr Katherine Rake, Director of the Fawcett Society said:

“Fawcett is disappointed that the number of women in cabinet has almost halved from eight to five (1). The representation of women should be the hallmark of any ‘government of all the talents’. But by promoting just one woman who has not previously sat in cabinet (2) he has overlooked the talents of many other capable women.

“Brown is to be congratulated for his appointment of the first woman Home Secretary which shows that there need be no barriers to the posts women hold in politics. We are also glad to see Baroness Scotland become the first Black Attorney General, but this is not a cabinet post and with the departure of Baroness Amos, the first Black woman ever to be appointed to cabinet, the under-representation of ethnic minority women in politics (3), is sadly reflected at the top.”

“Government is not just about cabinet and it is also disappointing that other key posts in Brown’s Government are male-dominated, from the new business advisory council (4) to Number 10 senior staff and special advisors (5). We urge him to ensure that as he announces more ministerial posts, he bears in mind the need to draw on women’s talents. Otherwise Brown risks losing the experience and perspectives that women bring and impoverishing the quality of debate and decision-making in UK politics.”

Notes to editors and background information

(1) Before leaving office Blair had eight women in his cabinet of 23, making it 35% women. See below for the full lists. At the time of release, 23 cabinet posts had been announced, five of them to be held by women, making the new cabinet 22% women. See below for the full lists.

(2) Baroness Ashton

(3) There are only two black women MPs (Dawn Butler, Diane Abbot) and there has only ever been one other Black woman MP (Oona King). There has never been an Asian woman MP.

(4) Members mooted for a new business advisory council are so far all male http://www.ft.com/cms/s/af57d09c-24de-11dc-bf47-000b5df10621.html

(5) Key number 10 senior staff appointments were announced yesterday and included only one woman – Sue Nye http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page12153.asp

Women MPs

There are currently 126 women MPs or 20% of MPs. Of whom 95 are Labour (27% of the party), 17 are Conservatives (9% of the party) and nine are Liberal Democrats (14% of the party)

Women cabinet minister appointed by Brown

1. Jacqui Smith (Home Secretary)

2. Ruth Kelly (Transport)

3. Harriet Harman (Leader of the Commons)

4. Hazel Blears (DCLG)

5. Baroness Ashton (Leader of the House of Lords

Of the five women above, one (Ashton) has not previously sat in cabinet.

Blair’s women cabinet ministers immediately prior to his resignation

1. Rt Hon Margaret Beckett (Foreign Office)

2. Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt  (Health)

3. Rt Hon Tessa Jowell  (Culture, Media & Sport)

4. Rt Hon Hilary Armstrong (Minister for the Cabinet Office and for Social Exclusion and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster)

5. Rt Hon Baroness Amos (Leader - House of Lords

6. Rt Hon Ruth Kelly  (Community and Local Government, Minister for Women)

7. Rt Hon Hazel Blears (Minister without Portfolio and Party Chair)

8. Rt Hon Jacqui Smith (Chief Whip)

Other women who served in Blair’s cabinets since 1997

1. Rt Hon Harriet Harman

2.  Rt Hon Ms Estelle Morris

3.  Rt Hon Dr Marjorie Mowlam

4.  Rt Hon Clare Short

5.  Rt Hon Helen Liddell

Women cabinet ministers before 1997

1. Rt Hon Margaret Bondfield (appointed 1924)

2. Rt Hon Florence Horsburgh (appointed 1939)

3. Rt Hon Barbara Castle (appointed 1964)

4. Rt Hon Shirley Williams (appointed 1966)

5. Margaret Thatcher (appointed Education Secretary 1970)

6. Rt Hon Margaret Jackson – later Margaret Beckett (appointed 1976)

7. Rt Hon Ann Taylor (appointed 1977)

8. Rt Hon Virginia Bottomley (appointed 1988)

9. Rt Hon Gillian Shephard (appointed 1989)