Women And Equality
Friday 14th May, 2010 11:29 Comments: 0
Theresa May has been appointed Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equality in the Conservative–Liberal Democrat Cabinet.
Some people have suggested she can't do both jobs at once (I'd argue, tongue in cheek, that she's a woman so unlike the men in the cabinet she can multi-task and do both roles at once), but more people have suggested she isn't suitable for the latter role (although as a friend has pointed out, she may have simply followed the party line).
If you take a look at her voting record on Homosexuality - Equal rights you can see some interesting things.
Firstly, she's been absent for a couple of the bigger votes ("Local Government Bill — Repeal of prohibition on promotion of homosexuality (Section 28)" and "Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations").
Secondly, when she has voted, she's been in the minority for all but one. Here are a couple of examples, which went through with a strong majority:
You do have to wonder why she's been made Minister for Women and Equality? I'd be more impressed if they'd picked a rebel Conservative MP that had regularly voted against their party. Or perhaps someone from the Lib Dems. The Consveratives don't have a great track record when it comes to equality, I can't see it getting any better now they're (kind of) in power.
Some people have suggested she can't do both jobs at once (I'd argue, tongue in cheek, that she's a woman so unlike the men in the cabinet she can multi-task and do both roles at once), but more people have suggested she isn't suitable for the latter role (although as a friend has pointed out, she may have simply followed the party line).
If you take a look at her voting record on Homosexuality - Equal rights you can see some interesting things.
Firstly, she's been absent for a couple of the bigger votes ("Local Government Bill — Repeal of prohibition on promotion of homosexuality (Section 28)" and "Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations").
Secondly, when she has voted, she's been in the minority for all but one. Here are a couple of examples, which went through with a strong majority:
- Crime and Disorder Bill — Reduce age of consent for homosexual acts to 16
- Adoption and Children Bill — Suitability Of Adopters
You do have to wonder why she's been made Minister for Women and Equality? I'd be more impressed if they'd picked a rebel Conservative MP that had regularly voted against their party. Or perhaps someone from the Lib Dems. The Consveratives don't have a great track record when it comes to equality, I can't see it getting any better now they're (kind of) in power.