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Men more at risk of losing jobs than women in crunch
Nicholas Cecil06.03.09
Harriet Harman was caught in a row today over whether women will suffer most in the recession.
The Equality Minister claimed in the Commons yesterday that women were worrying more than men about the economic crisis.
But her views were undermined today by figures from the Office for National Statistics and a Cambridge University study.
The ONS claimed the economic downturn “impacted less” on working women than on men. It stressed that estimates showed fewer women than men had lost their job.
The redundancy rate for women was 6.6 in 1,000 employees in the three months to December, compared with 13.6 for men.
The unemployment rate for women also grew at a slower pace, up 0.3 per cent to 5.5 per cent in the three months to December, which contrasted with a rise for men of 0.6 per cent to 6.9 per cent. The employment rate for women was down 0.3 per cent, compared with a drop of one per cent for men.
Ms Harman vowed in the debate in Parliament that women would not be allowed to become the “victims of the recession”.
“Both men and women are worried about the effect on our economy of the global economic crisis,” she said. “Men are worried about their jobs, of course they are, but it appears that women are even more worried.”
But sociologist Brendan Burchell, of Cambridge University, believes men handle losing their job worse than women and are more vulnerable. He said this was because of the male “macho” belief that they have to be the breadwinners.
“Men, unlike women, have few positive ways of defining themselves outside the workplace between when they leave school and when they retire,” he said.
Conservative MPs criticised Ms Harman's position. Beckenham MP Jacqui Lait said: “Good times and bad times affect people equally.”
Shipley MP Philip Davies, who challenged Ms Harman in the Commons yesterday, said: “Harriet Harman seems to see everything in terms of gender. The obvious implication is that more should be done for women than for men.”
Ms Harman emphasised in the debate that women were affected by the economic downturn in “different ways” than men, as they were more likely to care for children and elderly relatives, manage the family budget and work part-time.
Her officials highlighted IPSOS-MORI research, commissioned by Ms Harman, which showed that women are more worried on the whole about how the downturn will impact their family life.
Reader views (9)
Oh dear Harriot you opened your mouth again!
Please go as you have lost the plot.
To be honest your useless, my gran could do a better job,and shes 98!!!!!!
- C Cusano, Bedford
Yet again like so many in power, totally out of touch with reality. Why oh why do we have to put up with this brainless Government.
- Adrian Weller, East Grinstead, West Sussex
Equality Minister, well fulfill the function Madam Hat and give men equality with women, retirement at 60, longer life, to name but a few.........
- Hugh, Middx
You can bet your life harriden Harmen won,t suffer though,more,s the pity.
- Carol Taylor, romford england
Yet more proof if it were needed that Harriet is not fit for office just think of the furore if a man came out said the opposite!!
Harriet you are a joke
- Duncan, Kent
A true political correct Labour hypocrite talking rubbish as usual.
- Joe, Swanley Kent
Oh, I do wish Har-person would put a sock in it. She is just like all Labour Ministers - so full of their own self-importance. All just 'Wind Bags'!
- Uncle Vanya, East Anglia area UK
Harriet will make sure of that !
- Peter Haldane, London
no doubt she's talking about her own worries about her own future. Her tendency to utter a knee jerk remark that habitually slams her foot into her mouth is leading her towards the commons exit with ever increasing rapidity.
- Mike O'Brien, london.uk
