You are currently browsing the daily archive for March 10, 2021.
When it comes to women in leadership — the theme of International Women’s Day 2021 (March 8) — Britain’s Conservative Party is decades ahead of Labour.
Below are the first women to lead political parties in the United Kingdom.
Look at the lag time after Margaret Thatcher. Then look at Labour, which has never had a woman leader:
In 1992, 17 years after the Conservatives elected Margaret Thatcher as leader, the Greens voted for Jean Lambert.
In 2012, Leanne Wood became the leader of the Welsh Nationalists.
In 2014, Scotland’s SNP elected Nicola Sturgeon to lead them. She is still the First Minister in that devolved nation.
In 2015, Northern Ireland’s DUP followed with Arlene Foster.
In 2016, Diane James led UKIP briefly.
In 2019, Jo Swinson led the Liberal Democrats for a few months, until she lost her seat in Scotland in the December general election that year. Nicola Sturgeon was thrilled.
As for left-wing Labour? That day will have to wait.
Labour have no business telling Conservatives that they are behind the times. The Conservatives have had two women Prime Ministers. Labour’s never even had a female party leader.
Ironically for Labour, International Women’s Day has Socialist origins. The Communists adopted it later.
These days, nearly every nation observes this day. The UN decides the annual theme.
Churchmouse Campanologist 