Let's Not Roll Backwards on Female Equality

This is a guest post by Lucy James and originally appeared in Progressive Women


Political mud-slinging will always be standard practice.

It was inevitable that at a Labour conference, the Coalition would be getting the blame for ‘rolling back the clock’ on female equality – even more so at a conference where Labour were in opposition.

Yvette Cooper, with her Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities hat on, blamed the coalition Government in no uncertain terms as she berated them for implementing drastic cuts to welfare that are having “devastating changes to women’s lives”.

Ed Miliband made the same scathing criticisms against the cuts, particularly in relation to the slow growth of the economy, although they were less focused on specific issues of gender. However, his reference to ‘child-tax credits’ and his language of ‘families’ perhaps paid some lip service to the difficulties women face.

But what made conference far more interesting were the internal debates within the Labour Party itself. This was a conference where Labour was trying to redefine itself – it was Blue versus Purple versus Red.

Women need to be at the frontline of this political redefinition as the resulting outcome will have long-lasting repercussions on Labour’s attitudes and practical policies towards gender equality. 

Blogging From Conference

We will be at the Labour Party conference today and tomorrow.  For updates from the conference and our thoughts and opinions on key fringe events and speeches, please visit The Urbanite.

More Of This Please, Ed!

This Post is Bought to you by Frank Lefty, of The Urbanite

This week is a big week for Ed Miliband.  On this day last year he had just been elected as the new leader of the Labour party after defeating his older brother in what was a closely fought contest.  In his victory speech he promised a new vision from the party, one that broke with the toxic environment that plagued Gordon Brown's government in it's last few months.  His aim was to offer a credible alternative to the coalition government and convince the British public that Labour was once again fit for office.

It is safe to say that, one year on, many people have yet to be convinced by Ed's approach.  A recent poll conducted by the Mail on Sunday saw a majority of voters stating their preference for David, rather than Ed, Miliband as Labour leader, with 39% of Labour voters even stating that they wanted the former Foreign Secretary to take over from his brother.

Many people we talk to do not know what the younger Miliband represents as leader of the party, what his vision for Labour is and how he plans to solve Britain's economic problems.

There are many reasons for this.

Ed's Clause I Moment

The Guardian is today reporting that Ed Miliband is ready to make his mark on the Labour party by rewriting Clause I of the party's constitution.  In drafts of the proposed changes seen by the paper there is a focus on the principles of community organising in an attempt to get members of the public who may support Labour, as well as disillusioned members who feel disconnected to the party, more involved with the Labour movement.

This is a great idea for the right moment.  Miliband has recently begun to impress a lot of people who had slight reservations this time last year when he was elected as leader of the Labour party.  His performances at PMQ's have improved and his conduct during the phone hacking scandal and the recent riots were both politically astute and measured.

Now with a chance to stamp his authority on the party and lead the fight against the coalition he is finally ready to show us his vision for the party in the next three years.  Some may say that he has taken his time, but it does seem that the party needed time to listen to the concerns of the public and then put forward a strategy for change.  Putting community organising at the heart of this vision is a good start and Miliband can do no worse than look across the Atlantic and gain inspiration at the way community organising still works today for Obama.

It will be interesting to see the role trade unions, faith groups and local youth organisations play in Miliband's new vision for the Labour party.  He will have to balance a tight line of not being seen too close to the trade unions, at a time when strikes next year could further cripple our public services, whilst also helping the trade unions in their fight against the coalition's austerity measures.  This will be hard.

It will also be hard, but also a good opportunity, to be seen to be doing something in response to the recent riots by trying to get younger people in areas affected by the cuts more politically active.  Who knows, such a move could bring in a new generation of Labour supporters and members who otherwise would never have involved themselves in the politics affecting their communities.

There still are a lot of questions to be answered, but September is shaping up to be an important month for the party.  It looks like a trip to the football mecca that is Liverpool isn't the only reason The Urbanite will be looking forward to the party conference this year.  It looks like we are also going to be enjoying the making of Ed Miliband's Labour.