The UK is once again changing its prime minister and, as is customary for the governing Labour Party, the new leader will not be a woman. The party that throughout its 120-year history has defined itself as progressive and representative of the “many not the few,” has consistently failed to deem a woman worthy of the highest office of state.
It’s now certain that Andy Burnham will enter 10 Downing Street on July 20 and become the UK’s 59th prime minister and Labour’s 20th leader. There are lots of reasons I think Burnham is a good person to be put in charge of the country right now. But it remains a stain on the party that it hasn’t nurtured and enabled a woman to take on the role — and I know a lot of female Labour legislators who feel the same.When Keir Starmer was elected Labour leader in 2020, there was some consternation that his victory over two able women meant that, yet again, the party was outflanked in terms of gender equity by the Conservatives, who, despite their more traditional outlook, have now boasted four female leaders including the era-defining Margaret Thatcher. The unspoken message was that Labour would do better next time. But with Boris Johnson in his pomp in No. 10 and the party reeling following the electorally disastrous reign of the far-left socialist Jeremy Corbyn, many seemed to feel that Labour needed someone who, you know, looked like a prime minister (which, in my experience, equates to looking like a man).
