Harriet Harman says it’s ‘ridiculous’ the Labour Party has not elected a woman leader

Veteran Labour MP Harriet Harman has stated it’s “ridiculous” and “embarrassing” that the Labour Occasion has but to elect a lady chief. 

Harman, a former deputy chief of the social gathering who has additionally twice served as appearing chief following election defeats, recalled that “The Tories have managed to have two girls leaders” — earlier than realising she had forgotten Liz Truss. 

 Requested why Labour has but to elect a lady chief, Harman stated “Tory girls are usually not subversive inside the social gathering. They’re not stepping into the social gathering so as to change all the pieces about it. 

“Whereas Labour girls are extra threatening to their male colleagues as a result of we’re decided brokers of change.” 

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She added: “You’re a subversive difficult power as a feminist within the Labour Occasion. As a lady within the Tory social gathering, you’re not horrifying the lads. You’re working in collusion with them on their phrases and subsequently it’s no downside for them to elect you”.

“There ought to by no means, ever be decision-making in men-only rooms, except it’s Keir on his personal.”

Harman has twice served as appearing Labour chief, first following the social gathering’s defeat on the 2010 election and subsequently after the 2015 election defeat.

In the midst of a forty 12 months political profession, she is now one of many longest serving girls MPs at Westminster.

In December 2021, Harman introduced that she deliberate to face down from parliament on the subsequent election.

By way of the interval of 2007-2015, she served as deputy chief of the Labour Occasion. She has by no means stood for the management. 

Former overseas secretary Margaret Beckett briefly served as Chief of the Opposition and appearing chief of the Labour Occasion following John Smith’s dying in 1994.

Within the 2020 Labour management election, the victorious Keir Starmer bested Rebecca Lengthy-Bailey, Lisa Nandy, Jess Phillips and Emily Thornberry. 

Angela Rayner emerged as deputy Labour chief. She at present serves as deputy prime minister and shadow levelling up, housing and communities secretary. 

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