Harman wants 50% of shadow cabinet to be women Posted by Sophy at 3 39 PM on Thursday, June 3

Harriet Harman has today said she wants women to make up 50 per cent of Labour's shadow cabinet.

In a speech to Unite, the acting Labour leader said:

"We have some excellent experienced women and some brilliant new women MPs. 
"We still do have twice as many men MPs as women. 
"The labour men are great – but they are not twice as good as the women – so I want the PLP when we revise our rules for shadow cabinet elections to have 50.50 men and women in the shadow.
"It’s time for Labour women to step out of the shadows."

I agree the pitiful levels of female representation in Parliament is a scandal that should be addressed.

But is a blanket 50 per cent target the best way of going about it?

Such a move is sure to add fuel to claims women are being used as "window dressing", as Caroline Flint scathingly said of Gordon Brown.

And addressing the worrying proportion of female MPs - just 22 per cent are women compared to 51 per cent of the country - is surely a higher priority than boosting their number in Cabinet to a cast-iron 50 per cent.

On the other hand, Harman's statement could be a canny political move, and is sure to highlight the lack of women in the coalition government.

And it seems her idea could become a reality if Ed Miliband wins the leadership contest.

The former Energy Secretary said on Twitter: "Very sympathetic to what Harriet has said today on 50% women in Shadow Cabinet. Will ultimately be a PLP [Parliamentary Labour Party] decision but I will be supporting it."

Let me know your views in the comment box below.

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