The Tories are still making noises about getting more Tory women into Westminster and having more women on their front bench. Mr Cameron wants two of the final four candidates in each Westminster selection to be female. He has also said he will increase the number of women on his priority list from 50% to 60%.
Hazel Blears is on record as saying that the changes will fail to change the Tories and that the Conservative Party is still failing women. You only need to look at the Tories in the European Parliament to see the real proof of just how true that is. There is only one woman Conservative MEP and she is standing down at the European elections next year. In the 2004 Euro elections there were two regional lists which did not include any women at all.
The Tories will complete their selections for the next European elections very soon. It will be interesting to see whether David Cameron’s fine words have any substance.
Monthly Archives: March 2008
THE TORIES AND WOMEN
Filed under Conservative, Hazel Blears, Women MPs
US AIR FORCE AWARDS CONTRACT TO EUROPEAN FIRM
None of us, I am sure, are surprised that the United States Air Force’s decision to award a huge US Air Force contract to the European Firm EADS is being challenged by the US Congress. The American lawmakers are concerned that Boeing is missing out on a deal to supply air tankers worth about £20 billion, one of the largest in the past 20 years. Congress now wants the USAF to explain itself.
Parts for the air tankers, including the wings, will be built in the UK by Airbus. However, the assembly work will be carried out in the United States, where the project will create or support 25,000 jobs. The USA is therefore not really missing out too much. And maybe the European bid was quite simply better.
Filed under US Air force
THE THREAT FROM THE BNP
Make no mistake, the fascist BNP are out to fight. As we know they will fight dirty, stirring up racism and hatred. We must all fight the BNP at every opportunity. They must not be allowed to gain seats on any elected body. Winning elections will, of course, give the BNP credibility and legitimacy, which would be disastrous for the country.
The first real test are the GLA and Mayoral elections in May. There is talk that the BNP may gain a seat. It is absolutely crucial that we in the Labour Party work in every way we can to stop this happening. The same goes for the European elections next year.
There is a view that UKIP voters may swing to the BNP. I can believe this could well be the case. We therefore also have a duty to warn people about UKIP.
LABOUR SPRING CONFERENCE
5th March 2008
Spring Conference was a good event this year for Europe. The Party agreed that European legislation and policy would be an integral party of each session and that MEPs would attend the policy seminars on the top table with Ministers. As you can imagine, this was very well received by all the MEPs. Our legislative work has a real impact on everyone’s life in the UK. Maybe European Directives and the processes by which they are debated and agreed is at last getting the right level of recognition.
I was fortunate to speak in three sessions: the closing Women’s Plenary on trafficking of human beings with Harriet Harman MP, Barbara Keeley MP and Marianne Mikko, one of my MEP colleagues from Estonia. I also addressed the Education Policy Seminar in my capacity as Spokesperson on Culture and Education, and a workshop on women and the web, discussing uses for new technology.
The EPLP organised a session for the European candidates on the Sunday morning. This was a good event, and it was cheering to see a number of candidates there. No doubt we shall see much more of each other during the next year or so.
Filed under Harriet Harman, Labour Spring Conference, Women MPs
CYPRUS APPOINTS WOMAN COMMISSIONER
4th March 2008
Congratulations to Androula Vassiliou who has been chosen to replace Markos Kyprianou as Cyprus’s EU Commissioner. Now that Mr Kyprianou has left to become Cyprus’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, it is very good news that President Christofas has appointed a woman as his successor. Cyprus may not have any women MEPs, but they do now have a female Commissioner.
Mrs. Vassiliou’s appointment will have to be approved by EU Member States and she will also have to appear before the relevant European Parliament Committees to test her knowledge of the EU health portfolio, which she will be taking over from Mr Kyprianou. As a member of the Cypriot parliament, Mrs Vassiliou is no doubt used to such processes.
My very best wishes to Androula Vassiliou. The health brief is important and this is a great opportunity for the new Commissioner and for Cyprus.
Filed under Cyprus
