Ed Miliband’s letter to Lead for Women got a bit of a mention in Julie Bindel’s article in G2 in the Guardian on Friday. We didn’t agree with her assessment of Ed’s leadership, and we sent the following letter to the Guardian to let them know that we think Ed has made a promising start in fulfilling his promises made to women in the Party during the Leadership election.
Sir,
We welcome Julie Bindel to the Labour Party. However, her description of Ed Miliband as “sexism lite” is inaccurate. Ed Miliband has made greater commitments to women’s equality than any Labour leader before him, both in his letter to Lead for Women during the leadership election and in his speeches since, including a firm defence of all women shortlists in his first leader’s speech at party conference. Lead for Women will work with Ed to made real his commitments to women’s organisation and representation in the Labour Party. If Julie Bindel wants to make her views heard she is welcome to get involved.
Lead for Women
Dear Lead for Women
I absolutely agree that Ed has been the most pro-feminist leader the party has ever had (I am a lifelong supporter of Labour by the way) but that does not detract from the very poor performance he gave at the dinner. I was on a table with men and women, feminists and not, and everyone thought it pathetic that he pandered to his audience in such a sexist fashion. It was patronising and inappropriate. I can understand you wishing to ‘big him up’ in these hard times, but glossing over his considerable inadequacies will only reflect badly on the future of the party. Women are constantly protecting men from criticism and embarrassment.
Best, Julie Bindel