Has Corbyn Overlooked Women?

Jeremy Corbyn has been criticised after announcing that the top senior roles in his shadow Cabinet are all to be held by men.

16:33 14 September 2015

Jeremy Corbyn has appointed shadow Cabinet with top jobs for Andy Burnham, John McDonnell, and Hilary Benn – a move that critics say is overlooking women.

 

After Chuka Umunna became the latest senior MP to quit the front bench, Mr Corbyn made appointments with four top jobs being held by men. The team is composed of Andy Burnham (who accepted the post of shadow Home Secretary) and John McDonnel (Corbyn’s campaign agent), who was made shadow Chancellor. Meanwhile, Hilary Benn remains as shadow foreign secretary.

 

Diana Johnson, Labour MP for Hull North, described the move as “disappointing.” On Twitter, she wrote: “It is so very disappointing – old-fashioned, male-dominated Labour politics in the top positions in shadow Cabinet,” she said, adding the hashtag “#notforgirls”.

 

Women who made it on the list include Angele Eagle (appointed shadow Business Secretary) and Seema Malhotra (Chief Secretary to the Treasury). Meanwhile, Labour whip Heidi Alexander is promoted to shadow Health Secretary.

 

On the other hand, Mr McDonnell, the MP for Hayes and Harlington, wrote on his website last month insisting their economic plans to “tax the very rich and reshape the economy are sound common sense.”

 

“As people wake up to the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn actually being able to win the Labour leadership, the reaction has become increasingly hysterical, especially from elements of the Labour establishment.

 

“Some commentators have also prophesied economic and electoral doom if Corbyn is elected. Let’s see if, at least on economic policy, we can return to some level of rational debate.”

 

He added: “Where the Corbyn campaign parts company with the dominant economic thinking of both the Conservative government and the other Labour leadership candidates is that we don’t believe that the vast majority of middle- and low-income earners who didn’t cause the economic crisis should have to pay for it through cuts in tax credits, pay freezes, and cuts in essential services.”