The Sun

Honeyball’s Weekly Round-up

Labour Party

Last week we were told that the out dated, sexist, objectification of women- in the form of The Sun’s Page 3 ‘girls’-was to cease. There was excitement across feminist circles, women commentators and campaigners who couldn’t hide their delight at this surprising victory, following a sudden apparent change of heart among the chiefs at The Sun.

However, it was all rather short lived and before the end of the week the paper had yet again featured a winking, topless model on its infamous third page.

It was disappointing to say the least but perhaps the most hurtful event was the goading tweets sent by the paper’s (evidentially rather childish) head of PR.

He sent offensive messages of the model winking to the journalist Kay Burley, Roy Greenslade and Labour’s Harriet Harman via twitter. He later apologised for this and specifically to Harman whom he admitted he had never been involved in a twitter spat with.

The latest episode shows a huge lack of respect for those who have campaigned for so long to put an end to the out-dated and sexist images and also fails to acknowledge that Page 3 is offensive to so many of us-not just women. You can read more on this here.

Writing for the Guardian last week, Alberto Nardelli, the papers data editor, revealed “Four ways Labour has had a better start to 2015 than the Tories”. Among them, he reminds us that the parties’ first round of election poster wars was won by Labour and he goes on to describe how voters are closing in on Cameron with analysis of a number of polls including some commissioned by Lord Ashcroft.

You can read his analysis here. 

Labour’s deputy leader Harriet Harman launched the party’s national women’s tour, during which she promised to get more women to vote. As the campaign progresses there will be a battle van on the road. There is so much interest from Labour women activists who want to get involved, Harriet promised: “There is so much enthusiasm, so many women want to join the tour, it is going to be great,” she told the Eastern Daily Press while at a round table event in Norwich. Read more here.

The deputy Labour leader also warned of the dangers of supporting Ukip last week, especially if you are a woman. She said it tolerated appalling anti female remarks and offered a policy platform which is bad for women, while some 90% of its PPC candidates are men.

Scrap Page Three – ‘it’s so last century’

Labour Party

Earlier this week Rupert Murdoch’s gave the most significant indication that he might replace the Sun’s Page Three with a half-way house of ‘glamorous fashionistas.’

Murdoch was responding on twitter to a tweet which said Page Three is so last century. Murdoch replied: “You may be right, don’t know but considering.”

This is the first serious hint he has given that he may well do something to end this antiquated, sexist feature.

The campaign to end Page Three really took off after an organised group called No More Page Three was formed. It has actively campaigned for companies to boycott The Sun, refusing to advertise in the paper until the Page Three girls are removed.

Lucy Holmes, the campaign’s founder, tweeted that campaigners were “really pleased” by the hint dropped by Murdoch.

I said in my own statement on the issue that images of semi naked women are in no way acceptable in the 21st century.

It’s not just sexist, but is a complete objectification of women. It’s also offensive.

In addition this is a daily newspaper not a top shelf magazine, something that children and teenagers read. It’s not acceptable for them to view such images yet they are subjected to them on a daily basis.

Essentially Page Three is sexist, out dated and offensive to women so I sincerely hope Murdoch ends this so called ‘institution’. But a halfway house is not acceptable. Just end it all together.”

During questioning at the Leveson Inquiry, The Sun editor Dominic Mohan said the photographs had become an established part of British society.

He added that “the ultimate sanction lies with the reader” and that he felt the pages were “tolerated by the majority of British society” and that the paper’s support of “women’s issues” such as cervical cancer screening illustrated it was not “sexist”.

Such images have only become an established part of British society precisely because little has been done to challenges it. There are very many people who find them offensive and so it’s the right time to stop printing them.”

WOMEN TO GO IN POSSIBLE CABINET RESHUFFLE

Labour Party, Women's Rights

While I would not normally comment on speculation in the “Sun” newspaper

I feel it’s necessary today as the report may have some bearing on the European elections.

According to Political Editor George Pascoe-Watson both Jacqui Smith and Hazel Blears are in line to be demoted from the Cabinet after the June 4 poll, my election in other words. Gordon Brown is, according to the “Sun”, going to drop these two women to improve his general election chances.

Jacqui Smith and Hazel Blears

Jacqui Smith and Hazel Blears

The Prime Minister’s choice of ministerial colleagues is obviously a matter for him. What I am concerned about is the treatment both Jacqui and Hazel have received leading up to Gordon Brown’s potential reshuffle – a reshuffle which will take place after what, as the “Sun” puts it, will be Labour’s ‘drubbing in the polls’. Thank you George. I really appreciate being told I’m facing melt down.

Both Jacqui and Hazel have, I believe, been hounded far more than any man in their position would have been. Jacqui has been made a scapegoat for the vagaries of the present system of MPs’ expenses, allowing commentators to then attack her performance as Home Secretary. Hazel, on the other hand, has faced a continual barrage of low level sniping.

Neither woman has deserved this treatment. They have both performed as well as most of their Cabinet colleagues. I suspect Jacqui Smith was singled out for particular scrutiny regarding her allowances and private life in a way most other members of the Cabinet were not. When an individual is targeted, things often come out. I defy anyone in politics to be so pure that they automatically survive the driven snow test.

The reason Jacqui has been picked out and Hazel ridiculed? They are both women. I remember when I worked for “Gingerbread”, the lone parent charity in the early 1990s, two high profile women suffered the same treatment. Barbara Mills, the then Director of Public Prosecutions, and the former Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency, Ros Hepplewhite, were pursued at every possible opportunity. Eventually they both left their posts.

Dame Barbara Mills

Dame Barbara Mills

I would have hoped that 15 years on things may have changed. Sadly not. Jacqui Smith and Hazel Blears are the unfortunate successors of Barbara and Ros.