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Boris Johnson under fire for too few women in senior jobs
Katharine Barney06.03.09
Boris Johnson has been criticised over the lack of women in senior positions in his administration.
The Mayor was taken to task at People's Question Time last night during which he was also attacked for scrapping the role of a Women's Adviser at City Hall.
The criticism came on the day he was highlighting the gender pay gap in the capital after releasing the Women in London report, which found that pay for women in the City was still lower.
Members of the audience at the Mayor's third People's Question Time, held in Bethnal Green, claimed he had failed to do enough to equalise pay and accused him of not appointing women to senior City Hall positions. One man attacked the decision to scrap the role of Women's Adviser: “Having women in your office is hardly the same as having someone dedicated to women's issues.”
Mr Johnson was forced to defend his appointments, pointing to his director of culture, Munira Mirza, director of environmental policy, Isabel Dedring, and food czar Rosie Boycott. But experts pointed out that Transport for London funded Ms Dedring's position and Ms Boycott's role was unpaid.
Mr Johnson said: “City Hall at the moment is almost completely equal and quite right too. I completely reject your comment.” He pledged to dedicate the next People's Question Time in July to women.
The Conservative Mayor managed to placate the largely Labour crowd, with the exception of anti-aviation protesters angered at plans to expand City Airport.
Up to 80 campaigners held up banners before the event and shouted “rubbish” continually as Mr Johnson tried to explain his position on the issue. Fight The Fights group chairwoman, Anne-Marie Griffin, said: “Residents are furious with the poor judgment and lack of consideration of the quality of life of those in the east of London and the double standards of the Mayor.”
Mr Johnson had been against the expansion, despite Newham Council voting in favour, but was accused of “flip-flopping” when he wrote to borough leaders saying he had changed his mind.
“We are as one on opinions of Heathrow but that is of a different order of magnitude than what is being proposed at City Airport,” he said.
The audience also quizzed the Mayor and Assembly members on issues including the Olympics, knife crime and transport.
A question found 67 per cent of the audience were in favour of Mr Johnson and the Metropolitan Police's stop and search operation Blunt Two, which the Mayor said had recovered 5,000 knives and led to 8,000 arrests. He also outlined plans for a prison unit for first-time knife offenders.
Reader views (26)
What happened to the best person for the job!
- Shallotman, Basildon
We did the "affirmative action" bit in the 1970's to try and promote women into executive positions. It was a total disaster with public service departments efficiency failing miserably. It would be much better to root out these male bastions of misogyny and to utilise the myriads of sewer rat litigation lawyers to sue the backside off the misogynists where they clearly overlook better qualified females.
- Len, Perth, Australia
Look no further. Just look at Labour's women ministers -incompetence fools and expert spins mistresses. Top jobs for idiots (Brown ticked all the boxes).
- K Lee, Cheshunt, UK
I have 2 points to make.
Firstly I'd hope that jobs are given to "the best PERSON for the job", irrespective of their sex, hair colour or height.
Secondly, If there is not a post of "Mens Advisor" then I see no need for a "womens advisor".
- Mark, Croydon
I never voted for Boris at all; but on reflection he is a character; and London is full of characters; and London always needs all the characters it can get.
This is the Capital after all; and one of the Worlds greatest cities; who needs stuffy serious politicians running our home town; Boris is almost a cockney now.
In these time of doom and gloom; lets laugh and have fun; the alternative is depression and misery.
I hope Boris demands that the government gets out of our city; and slings there hook up north.
We don’t want them here ruining our town.
Boris for King of London.
- Mickyinlondon, london
Perhaps it's because he has chosen the best men for the job. What is the point of having women in the job just for the sake of having women, that's daft.
- Dennis, Taplow. U.K
Poll people who voted against him in the first place - about any issue - and guess what.... they're not going to like him still.
As for the headline for the article? Why would any woman want to be seen as a quota appointment rather than someone who got there through her own merit (if that has to be explained then there's no hope for the one demanding the explanation!)
- Rogan, Irving
It does not really matter in which direction Boris turns there will always be critics waiting for him to drop a clanger. Give the poor chap a chap a chance! Not enough women in senior positions, next it will be not enough men, then it will be not enough people from another section of society and on it goes. He can win, why not just let our Mayor get on with it and the return of Red Ken well, bamboo shoots up the finger nails would be preferable to that!
- Elizabeth Parker, London England
Perhaps he should give Harman a job such as cleaning the sewers.
- Roger, Winchester, Hampshire, England
I don't need a special "wimmins" person at City Hall, and I can't recall a single useful thing the previous post holder ever did for me, a woman. It is not just another non-job for Ken's ex-girlfriends?
I would rather that real jobs were filled by the most qualified person.
- Sarahn, London, UK
I expect the best people to have the jobs. I don't care if they are men or women.
If the best people who apply are all men, fine. If they are all women, fine.
It is important that the best person gets the job, regardless.
Being PC just means dumbing down.
- Ann Louisa, Southampton
Boris gets it wrong again. What a surprise.
- Mick, London, England
The most important thing is to get the best person for the job .
- Ian, London UK
I’d like to criticize the Mayor for having blonde hair, I’d also like to hear an apology from him for being under 6’ tall, and, most of all, how dare he swan around London on a bicycle when kids are starving in Africa!!!! Bring back, Red Ken, this sort of thing would never have happened under him and Jasper!!!
- Borisout, londON
1) Are they (the woman) the best person for the job? Yes? Give 'em the job.
2) Is someonme else ( a man) the best person for the job? Yes? Give 'em the job!
Easy innit?
PS Don't GIVE jobs to wimmin to fill quoteas, it will fail, as will all other so-called 'poisitve' discrimination!
- Ghandi, subuteo
Funny how the more negative comments on this page are from men....
- Collette, London
Boris probably doesn't realize what equal rights in the work place actually means and there are many men both in business and politics who never will because it suits them not too.
- Mike Melbourne, Bedford England
Antoine - screaming from the rooftops? Would people passionately lobbying the mayor during a public question time, with others heckling and jeering at the mayor's feeble response not be quite close to screaming from the rooftops?
- Mark Lee, Vauxhall
How many women have applied for jobs and been turned down? Not enough want the jobs, if there is any descrimination they would be screaming from the rooftops. It would be nice if a few more top girls were in the game but they have to want to come out and play. We have too many inadequates in jobs today for the wrong,PC reasons.
- Antoine Desmoines, London, UK
What happened to the best person for the job.
- Shallotman, Basildon
Cityhall runs a woman's development programmme (which may or may not still be running under Mayor Johnson now) which was put in place as 70% of the roles over £50k per annum within cityhall were/are occupied by men. So I am really surprised to hear Mayor Johnson state that pay and opportunity are equal for both sexes at city hall. It is public knowledge that it isn't!!
- Jb, London
Judging by the record of the women in the current government, you have to ask yourself are they really up to it!
- Chris, Brighton, England
Isn't it more important to have the right people for the job, rather than this ridiculous "PC" approach.
- Richard, Thame, Oxon
I'm glad we're finally talking about SEXISM - the biggest 'ism' in existence as opposed to racism and ageism, which, whilst being valid are less acceptably pervasive.
- Real, London
I am all in favour of women exceeding the glass ceiling.
- William, Haywards Heath UK
Maybe not as many women as men WANT to work with Boris . . . ?!
- Roz, Chamonix, France
