Morning:
5°c
Harriet Harman: World banking crisis is down to men
Joe Murphy and Hugo Duncan3 Aug 2009
Harriet Harman today appeared to blame too many male bankers for the global financial crisis.
Labour's Deputy Leader, who is in charge of No 10 while Gordon Brown is on holiday, called for more women in the boardrooms of the biggest financial institutions, suggesting they would do a better job than men.
Referring to the US bank which collapsed sparking international turmoil, she said: “Someone said that if it had been Lehman Sisters, instead of Lehman Brothers, there might not have been so much difficulty.” Ms Harman added: “I have to say it was not me that said that.” She did not say she disagreed with the comment, however.
She added: “But I do seriously think that half the financial service industry is women now. Women make up half the workforce of insurance companies and banks. Why shouldn't they have a say on the boards as well?”
Ms Harman, whose outspoken views on feminism have earned her the nickname Harriet Harperson, spoke as
Barclays announced half-yearly profits of nearly £3 billion — putting thousands of bankers in London on course for bumper bonuses this year.
It followed strong performance at its investment bank Barclays Capital — thanks in part to its acquisition of Wall Street rival Lehman Brothers. Today's results leave 21,900 staff at the investment bank in line for average pay and bonus packages of £250,000 this year — with most picking up far less and a lucky few getting millions.
The top earners are likely to include Barclays Capital boss Bob Diamond, tax expert Roger Jenkins and head of investment banking John Winter.
Mr Diamond picked up nearly £40 million in 2007 but “only” £250,000 last year after he agreed to take no bonus because of the financial crisis. Others set for windfalls are US bankers Eric Felder, Gerald Donini and Hugh “Skip” McGee who were taken on by Barclays when it bought the investment banking business of Lehman Brothers.
Barclays paid just $1.75 billion for the once-mighty firm after it imploded last September, sending the financial markets into meltdown.
The issue of male dominance at Lehman Brothers was discussed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, with a series of commentators suggesting a “Lehman Sisters” alternative would have been more successful.
EU competition commissioner Neelie Kroes said: “My clear line is that if Lehman Brothers had been Lehman Sisters' would the crisis have happened like it did? No.”
Ms Harman did not comment directly on Barclays, but she warned the bailed- out banks not to try paying out huge sums. “We cannot go back to the old days,” she said, adding that all bonuses should meet the Government's new guidelines proposing that rewards be linked to long-term performance.
The payouts to Barclay staff will cause outrage among unions, politicians and other critics who claim excessive risk taking and bonuses fuelled the crisis and plunged the global economy into recession.
“I don't agree with all-male leaderships,” she said in an interview. “Men cannot be left to run things on their own. I think it's a thoroughly bad thing to have a men-only leadership.”
Today she said: “I didn't actually say you can't trust men, I basically said you get better decision-making in a team if it's balanced with women and men working alongside each other.
“One of the reasons I ran for deputy is because I thought there should be a woman in the leadership team. We really push things up the agenda, the question of balancing work and home, and all of those things that if men are left on their own they don't raise them.” She added: “I think it's not good enough to say that women can be just generally there, they've got to be in all positions having their voices heard. I think that women in this country regard themselves as equal now and I don't think they want to be asking men for a favour while men make all the decisions.”
What Harriet Harman has to say about men
In January 2007, she spoke about her anger over family policy.
“You can't have a men-only discussion of the family. Men can't be left on their own to do family policy. Twenty-first century women are not up for patriarchy.”
When all the proposed candidates to understudy Gordon Brown were men Ms Harman was dismayed.
“It looked like we were a men-only activity. We've got a lot of good women ministers and MPs and we were making them invisible. I said: We absolutely must have a woman candidate.' That was taken to be me saying it should be me.”
In May last year, Ms Harman's views on family were published by think-tank Civitas in the book Second Thoughts On The Family. “For Harman, marriage has little relevance in public policy. Harman does see marriage as relevant to the 21st century. Her objection ... is to politicians telling people they should get married.”
The book also said that if couples are not happy they should not stay together for their children, and the Government should support people in this choice. The book added: “Harman believes higher rates of separation are down to a positive: greater choice.”
In July last year, she joked that, should she become prime minister: “There aren't enough airports in the country for all the men who would want to flee.”
In an interview with the Sunday Times yesterday she said about her own agenda in politics: “It's a fierce agenda and not always consensual. But I believe the strong economies of the future will be the ones that turn their back on the old boys' network.”
When campaigning for the deputy leadership of the Labour party, Ms Harman described herself as Radio 2 to Mr Brown's Radio 4.
Reader views (93)
nothing to do with women an their shopping sprees then? my late wife left 100 pairs of shoe, 40 of which were not worn, 50 Italian leather handbags 20 of which stiil in their wrappers, four wardrobes of dresses, coats and suits, five drawers of blouses, jumbers, tee shirts, a drawer of night dresses. To complement that there were six food mixer, five electric steam irons, seven frying pans, three vacuum cleaners, enough v=knives, foks, spoons, cups and saucers for 20 people (we were two). Then there was all the complete dinner services, table cloths and napkins for 20 people. How much that would all have cost I shudder to think. Of course, she never had anything to wear.
- Albert Hall, hove england, 26/08/2009 12:17
Report abuse
Sorry but very few women make the grade. Even minor leadership is a tough job, males seem to be just better at it.
Thatcher, Ghandi, Bhutto are remarkable exceptions and lets not forget An Yang Su Ki her courage has been tested but she has not been tested in power. I suspect she may fail there.
We in Canada have suffered miserably because of female politicians, elected more for political correctness than ability. Our brief female PM was a complete national joke and a disaster.
Thank God Hilary never got in or we would have a National Hug Day.
But Harriet Harperson which planet did you come from???
- W.Palmer, North Vancouver, Canada, 04/08/2009 21:04
Report abuse
"I think that women in this country regard themselves as equal now," she says.
I kinda got the impression she believes them to be superior to men, 'just because'. She also appears to think she's the archetype over and above that baseline belief. Now I know that is a bit extreme, but her blinkered one topic approach to everything she does does suggest an unbalanced perspective that only equally single issue 'thinkers' (for want of a better term) could agree with.
- Rogan, Irving, 04/08/2009 03:59
Report abuse
Kate, You should be aware that Andrea Orcel is in fact a man.
- Phil Taylor, London, 03/08/2009 23:02
Report abuse
Harriet is quite right and personal attacks prove nothing. Bankers have almost wrecked the financial system thanks to refusing to admit they didn't know what their subordinates were talking about. And they still refuse! Almost the whole lot of them are in denial. Why not give women a go - and pick ones who don't do macho posturing.
- Joe, London, 03/08/2009 22:46
Report abuse
Oh, goodness me, why do so many men hate women so? Extending Harperson's typically bizarre rantings as an excuse for an attack on a whole sex, most of whom think she's as barmy as you do, is just as unfair as saying men are to blame for everything.
I speak as a female board director who has got there through ability, dedication, 18-hour-days for 20+ years, a talent to get people to WANT to do the things I want them to do, luck and a sense of humour. Nobody has a God-given right to be in charge: not the man who thinks we should all be home churning out babies so that he can have a clean shirt; not the Blair Babes who were there just to make up the numbers and set women's prospects back several years as a result; not Harperson; not Brown. How about this radical idea? Best person for the job gets the job. What's wrong with that?
- Jules, London, 03/08/2009 22:42
Report abuse
I wouldn't take much notice of this woman. She's a sexist PIG.
- Paul Humphreys, Essex, 03/08/2009 22:26
Report abuse
No its down to GREED pure and simple GREED.
- Barbara, Sydney Australia, 03/08/2009 22:14
Report abuse
Does anyone listen to the opinion of this dreadful woman ?
Have we not had enough of most of the useless women Cabinet ministers under Blair and now Brown ? Must we wait until the election before we are rid of the rest - Jowell, Harman etc ?
- Michael, Kensington, UK, 03/08/2009 19:26
Report abuse
Another classic from Heretic Harman. Keep them coming girl, you are a human wrecking ball within NuLabour. Cameron can only fantasise of such self-destruction.
- Paul, Kent, 03/08/2009 18:04
Report abuse
What drivel.You may as well say that there are not enough Badgers in the boardrooms.
- Jimfred, London UK, 03/08/2009 17:25
Report abuse
Her colleague Jaqui had a go at one of the top jobs. How did she do?
She did mention later, she was less than qualified.
- Worried, uk,uk, 03/08/2009 17:24
Report abuse
It's true!!! I agree with her and so does the Dispatches Documentary that explained why Lehman Brothers collapsed - due to male egotisical testosterone and greed. Women should run the banks we'll definitely do a better job - we can't do any worse can we?!!!
- Jo, Bristol, 03/08/2009 17:01
Report abuse
Another nail in the Labour coffin! Keep them coming!
- Sally Jones, London, 03/08/2009 16:45
Report abuse
She's quite right.
The problem with the current system is, to get anywhere near the top, a woman has to behave like a man - which defeats the object.
It would take a veritable female revolution to change things, and that's not going to happen.
In the meantime it might help matters if women started to become attracted to wimps like myself instead of going after and encouraging ruthless, money-making City machos.
- Nick, London, 03/08/2009 16:38
Report abuse
Much as I dislike the woman, I feel more sorry for her than angered by her antics.... which doesn't mean I have any tolerance for the end product of said antics.
Someone commented "Scarey thought that one who seeks power is so willing to warp the truth to back an argument".
I don't think she bends/warps the truth, at least in her own mind - she is just too blinkered in perspective, for whatever reasons she can come up with, to see beyond that single gender issue in a world where there are NO single issue problems. In this case she uses the excuse that, because there are more top men in the financial world - for whatever reason - it MUST be a gender problem.
Women at that level of decision making processes are not there because they were soft and nurturing. They are not there despite the need for calculation and cost benefit assumption.... any more than are the men already there.
Her arguments are no more than convenience retro-fitting to suit an agenda. In effect she offers an excuse rather than a reason - eg reality based (reasons precede an issue - excuses are subsequent rationalizations of events).
- Rogan, Irving, 03/08/2009 16:07
Report abuse
Harman took her eye off the ball then because her friend Gordon allowed RBS to buy up all the other companies including natwest and couttes and other banks his FSA never checked it the competition dept never bothered with it nor the monoplies board Gordon also pushed through the sale of HBOS to Lloyds on a nod and a wink and she never said anything there either Santander approached FSA because they wanted to buy alliance leicester the FSA twisted alliance and leicesters arm and she never said anything there either normally she has her nose in everything or is it when it suits her she is running true to form remember her dotty uncle Long Longford he was as bad. I would rather have a male boss any day women bosses can be catty and they have friends and if you are not included your life can be hell oh and if her dress sense is anything to go by no thanks
- Jacqui Williams, peterborough cambs, 03/08/2009 15:55
Report abuse
you'd have to wonder if m/s harman has a few problems connecting mind to mouth. every few days she comes out with something totally off the wall and slightly absurd.
a more cynical person might be tempted to suggest that she does it intentionally to keep her name in the press, but given the nature and content of these rants, it would appear counter productive as it only illustrates the hysterical and unpredictible character of our acting leader.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk, 03/08/2009 15:42
Report abuse
I have served on boards with women. They have fallen into two types:
1: Very quiet, raise few objections, offer few if no ideas, and in general like to be 'seen' as the damsel around the table who doesn't have to to anything but sit and "look pretty"
2: Aggressive, risk takers, have an agenda, feel they have been called upon to serve because their sex is somehow special and the rest of the room simply must follow their advice or be doomed to failure.
Women have egos just like men.
- Trunk, US, 03/08/2009 15:20
Report abuse
She seems to forget that she was a woman in the boardroom of UK PLC at the time (ie, in the cabinet). Did she see the crisis coming and raise the alarm?
No, she didn't.
Fail.
- Nigel, London, 03/08/2009 14:56
Report abuse
Nothing like perpetuating false stereotypes, even if they mistakenly positive. How embarassing for you to say that, Harriet.
- 888, Kent, 03/08/2009 14:44
Report abuse
Two women have nearly destroyed the west's entire financial system.
Andrea Orcel, Merrill Lynch's top investment banker, worked on the disastrous takeover of ABN Amro by Royal Bank of Scotland.
Blythe Masters, of JP Morgan, invented the credit-default swap.
A credit-default swap is essentially an insurance contract purchased to protect against (or speculate on) the possibility that an entity will default on its payment obligations. If you lend money to Company X but want to hedge your risk, you buy a CDs from Company Y protecting against the possibility of a collapse at Company X. These arrangements were supposed to disperse risk throughout the economy, making the system more secure. But it had a massive flaw; If you loan somebody money and insure yourself against the risk that he won’t be able to pay you back, you have less incentive to make sure he can really pay you back.
Never mind the terrorists threats; the equality laws that put these two women in positions of power in the banking system have done more damage to your life and prospects than everything else put together.
- Kate, London, 03/08/2009 14:41
Report abuse
Harman has a massive chip on her shoulders,-she has never forgiven God for making her into a woman,to compensate for this she has decided to declare war on the male population whenever she can,she makes Thatcher look like mother theresa.
- Jacob, Canterbury European Gulag England., 03/08/2009 14:35
Report abuse
This idiot is in charge of the country while Gormless Brown is on his hols. God help us!
- Paul, London, 03/08/2009 14:26
Report abuse
It's a bit like saying that the world overpopulaton crisis is down to women, if they didn't keep having babies then there'd be no problem. She's quite obviously a loon, all that having to travel between 2 homes has obviously got to her.
- Bob, Cheam, 03/08/2009 14:16
Report abuse
If Harperson is so keen to blame men for everything that goes wrong in a profession how about giving credit where credit is due - the number of men who have died or been seriously injured in the service of their country far outnumbers women. Men do all the dirty, hard, dangerous jobs and always have done. They work long and hard for their families and these days get precious little credit for it. I'm a woman, a mother of sons, and I resent these constant put downs of men which is damaging for boys. Women as a sex have their flaws and stupidities too - frankly, I don't want people who for a lot of their life are dominated by their hormones running things to the exclusion of men.
- Damozel, London UK, 03/08/2009 14:14
Report abuse
She's more bonkers than her boss.
- Ashgl, London, 03/08/2009 14:06
Report abuse
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR SHOWING US WHAT TO EXPECT IF THIS PRESENT GOVT GETS RE ELECTED!!!!
Prudent G , please explain why you are still Leader and not handed power over to a more observant and more PRUDENT female!!!
- Hello Kitty, North London, 03/08/2009 13:59
Report abuse
What a daft little Harperson she is.
It's a bit rich and just a mite late, after 12 years in power, and with her Party disintegrating before our eyes, to desperately 'cry foul' on male bosses.
I always suspected that even the ultra-hypocritical, so called Equalities Minister would finally resort to playing 'the gender card' [afterall, grotesque ZaNuLabour have deliberately played all the other socialy divisive cards], quite literally 'playing the man' in typically cynically sinister Campbellesque modus operandi.
- Dave, Cumbria, 03/08/2009 13:55
Report abuse
This woman does not represent my views or those of most of the women I know.
- Kitty, London, 03/08/2009 13:55
Report abuse
Looking at Harman's position in the New Labour power struggle, one just bemoans the fact that society has been robbed of the services of a well qualified female lavatory attendant.
- Ted, London, 03/08/2009 13:54
Report abuse
When women knew their place, men could concentrate on running the world successfully. Since they've started badgering men with their opinions, we've lurched from one crisis to another. It can't be a coincidence. Pipe down, dear, and let us chaps do what God intended us to do.
- Keith, King's Cross, London, 03/08/2009 13:42
Report abuse
I'm just wondering whether those commenting here accusing her of being sexist have any idea how ironic their comments are! They offer their objections in hugely sexist language "it's coz she's a woman, I blame her hormones, it's because she's reached a certain age"
Now I'm not saying I agree with her, but the complete hypocrisy and lack of self-awareness by these commenters is just, well, hilarious!
- Clare, London, 03/08/2009 13:31
Report abuse
Before you accuse me of being a male chauvinist pig, I know I am. Women should be in the home, cleaning and preparing our youngster for the future. There would be more jobs for the men to bring a decent income and not have to share with women employed taken all the jobs as cheap labour. Our children would be brought up correctly instead of bunged of to child minders, not knowing there real mothers. It will reduce crime on the streets, respect would be taught and I would have a clean shirt in the morning.
- Lee, middlesex, 03/08/2009 13:28
Report abuse
The crash would stil have happened. It was the greed of capitalist that brought down the banks and capitalists also come in the shape of conservative women in the boardrooms.
- Dhan Raj, Basildon, 03/08/2009 13:26
Report abuse
In a few months time she will be gone forever.
- Dee Jay, Fleet Hampshire, 03/08/2009 13:24
Report abuse
Anyone else worried by the second paragraph - "who is in charge of No10 while Gordon Brown is on holiday"?????
Will the last person to leave the country please turn off the light!
- Andy, London, 03/08/2009 13:22
Report abuse
People are people. Women are not immune to greed. Besides, we thought needed a female prime minister, until Margaret Thatcher came along. The grass is not always greener.
- James, London, 03/08/2009 13:19
Report abuse
One wonders if we were to ask colleagues of Harriet's from her days in the world of business consultancy what they thought would they give her a glowing resume? Of course the simplicity of the arguement is where the flaw lies, for it suggests that the economic demand from people which drove the banks to lend more and more, was also the exclusive preserve of men, as was all consumer demand etc - that is of course palpable nonsense as is Mrs Harmans self serving and highly partial view of economics. Scarey thought that one who seeks power is so willing to warp the truth to back an arguement - but of course in this she demonstrates her similarity to the men in new labour rather well.
- Christian Ball, London UK, 03/08/2009 13:18
Report abuse
It sounds like Miss Harperson is either venting her frustration on her ex-colleagues, or she is loosing the plot.
"Batty Hatty is Brown's greatest asset - as if he needed this idiot to bolster his chances of alienating half the electorate - he does pretty well at this himself!"
- Uncle Vanya, East Anglia Area UK, 03/08/2009 13:14
Report abuse
Harriet Harman - Why is anybody surprised at the latest ramblings of this clueless soon-to be-gone New Labourite?
- Annoyed, The City, 03/08/2009 13:12
Report abuse
One feels that if Ms Harman were an albino, she would want albinos to have greater board representation and be in politically powerful positions. She has been a sidelined non-event in New Labour's reign and her recent outbursts show that that is where she belongs.
But it is an achievement that, by dint of her power-hungry and self-interested claptrap, she manages to make Brown and Mandelson look like class-acts. Luckily no-one would ever take her seriously.
- Disgusted, Tunbridge Wells, Home Counties, 03/08/2009 13:05
Report abuse
Just imagine.... Lehman Brothers was actually Lehman Sisters. Jacqui Smith was CEO (with a little training), Estelle Morris is in charge of training, Harriet Harmon in charge of recruitment and pay and Hazel Blears is in charge of corporate PR.
Who thinks Lehman Sisters would outperform Lehman Brothers? Come to that, does anyone actually think it would survive as a business? There's nothing stopping the Sisterhood putting their money where there mouths are and setting up their own investment business and showing how it should REALLY be done!
- Grahame P, Bristol, UK, 03/08/2009 13:04
Report abuse
Nutty female get her out
- Terry Chambers, London, 03/08/2009 13:01
Report abuse
Heard it all now.
Can we blame the failure of the current Government on the women who were clearly employed on gender grounds rather than ability?
- Gareth, Hampshire, 03/08/2009 12:58
Report abuse
Who spends most of the money men make?Women
Who claim men "cannot be trusted to look after them"(Mail on Sunday's You magazine)? Women - after taking men's jobs because they wanted more to complain about.
If H.H. became Prime Minister all men would be locked up and forced, at gunpoint, to denote to sperm banks in so far as medical science still can't quite make it in the laboratory!
- Peter Seekings-Foster, Mildenhall, Suffolk., 03/08/2009 12:58
Report abuse
I can't believe I voted Labour at the last General Election. What was I thinking?!?!?
- St, London, 03/08/2009 12:57
Report abuse
A cynic might think she is preparing the ground for a leadership battle with Lord Mandelson.
- Ed, Hornchurch Essex, 03/08/2009 12:56
Report abuse
No wonder poor tired Gordon is reluctant to take any holiday knowing he has to leave the loonies in charge of the asylum. Every time Silly Harriet is left in charge she gives out large and invariably stupid statements which do women (or anybody else) any good at all. The people of Camberwell really must please vote her out out out at the election.
- Jilly, London, 03/08/2009 12:54
Report abuse
If Harriden Harperson has any sons i sincerely feel sorry for them,imagine listening to her extreme feminist views,they will probably grow up to feel useless and wish they were women.She's despicable.
- Carol, Romford England, 03/08/2009 12:50
Report abuse
She is a perfect example of why women shouldn't be drafted into a post regardless of ability.
- Dan, Manchester, 03/08/2009 12:48
Report abuse
What a waste of public money...
- Wallytrader, London, 03/08/2009 12:46
Report abuse
Richard Kennard, an excellent point - the women who go for these jobs have the same mentality of the men. Of course they do, it's sexist to assume otherwise. The fact is caring, nurturing people do not seek power and fat salaries.
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent, 03/08/2009 12:45
Report abuse
Stupid woman. She is an insult to womanhood. Not to mention she is sleazy, arrogant and extremely sexist. We really do not need more women like her and the sooner she goes the better.
- Lin, London England, 03/08/2009 12:16
Report abuse
Those blooming men: when will they learn?!
- Johnwina, Londonette, 03/08/2009 12:16
Report abuse
Having worked for large organisations, I've discovered this: women tend to take on most of the bad traits of men when they reach a certain level. I've worked in places where women have been in high management jobs. Yet, bullying has continued at the same level when men were in charge. I also discovered that there is no gender difference when it comes to covering things up.
That said, women can be singularly focused and not distracted by male bs. If it wasn't for the likes of Heather Brookes, details of MPs' expenses would either have been floated down a moat or hidden in a duck house...
- Anil, glos, 03/08/2009 12:15
Report abuse
Harriet has reached that certain time in her life so I think we should forgive what were singularly foolish comments.
- Arthur, manchester, 03/08/2009 11:55
Report abuse
It should be best "person" for the job at all times, Harriet. Presumably pushing a woman into a top role - whether she was competent or not - is how we ended up with YOU!
- Marianne, SW France/London, 03/08/2009 11:55
Report abuse
I wonder if Ms Harman would agree with the proposition that "privately educated, wealthy people" cannot be trusted to run major banks. You know, graduates of elite schools, like St Pauls School for Girls...
- Danny, London, 03/08/2009 11:39
Report abuse
The government goes from bad to worse. This old loony lefty harpy should learn keep her inappropriate, extremist, sexist views to herself. Thank god she is not the typical example of womankind.
How is she able to get away with this inflammatory rubbish?
- Xtremely Worried, Britain (Formerly Great), 03/08/2009 11:30
Report abuse
Harriet means "home ruler", so go home and rule there! This country is in a mess and this drivel adds nothing.
- Man U Fan, London, 03/08/2009 11:23
Report abuse
Banks learned in the thirties when the dust bowl drama happened to farmers in the mid west when banks in the U.S. made advances to just agriculture.
After that banks carefully spread their lending over a wide sector.
However, when Building Societies became banks this lesson was forgotten, and so when the housing market collapsed, as it was bound to collapse, the these so-called new banks ran into trouble
The CANNONS OF LENDING were ignored.
Indeed how many of these new managers were qualified.
I suspect hardly any.
- Bernard Parke, GUILDFORD, 03/08/2009 11:20
Report abuse
If a man was stating these sorts of views publically he would be sued. Bless her - shes a woman. They are right about everything, thats what I let the wife think anyway.
- B Gare, Norfolk Gorleston, 03/08/2009 11:18
Report abuse
Harriet, is this just a soundbite to make sure that when you get sacked next year, someone will actually remember you? Off you trot.
- Rod, Epping, UK, 03/08/2009 11:18
Report abuse
For thirty years before I retired I worked in the City in and around dealing rooms in various banks. There were quite a few women dealers and they were every bit as aggressive, as arrogant and as avaricious as their male counterparts. The notion that women are somehow morally superior to men is twaddle. Moreover, it's often similarly asserted that there would be no wars if women ran the world but history shows female leaders to have been unrepentantly bellicose when we remember that, inter alia, the following took their people to war: Mrs Thatcher, Mrs Golda Meir, Queen Victoria, Queen Anne, Queen Elizabeth the first, the Empress Matilda (in the 12th century) and not to forget the original pushy Essex Girl Queen Boadicea.
- Richard Kennard, Welling, 03/08/2009 11:10
Report abuse
And if women were world leaders, there would not be any wars - just ask Boudicca, Cleopatra, Queen Matilda, Elenor of Aquitaine, Queen Elizabeth, Katherine the Great, Indira Ghandi, Golda Meir,and Margaret Thatcher, to name but a few.
And the success of the Blair Babes has been phenominally... er...unsuccessful.
- Stephen Rothbart, Prague Czech Republic, 03/08/2009 11:09
Report abuse
Ms. Harperson really is mad as a hatter. How does her husband Mr. Dromey put up with her? She went to one of the best private schools in the country and seems to have learnt absolutely nothing. She disgusts me when she whinges on about equality - she's obsessed with this one subject. Never mind young soldiers dying, people loosing their jobs! A patchy education system and rising crime in the most violent country in Europe. In her naive obsessive little world your abilities wouldn't matter; If there are to many men in a profession simply add women regardless of their ability or aptitude. Still, at least we won't have to listen to this very silly and unpleasant sexist and irrelevant person in a few months. It says a lot about Nu-labour that regardless of gender that thats the best they can do for a deputy prime minister. What a ridiculous joke !!
- David S., Ealing, 03/08/2009 11:09
Report abuse
Get lost you stupid parasite.
Better still, she needs seriously investigating by the appropriate authorities for manifestly exceeding her authority and simultaneously abusing her ignorance.
- Reuben Camara, Republic of Morecambe, UK, 03/08/2009 11:08
Report abuse
I hope that man-hating Harridan Harpy is soon promoted to the NuLiebour leadership.
She is a raving lunatic and would only hasten the inevitable demise of her stinking, Britain-hating party.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 03/08/2009 11:04
Report abuse
good god, if a man had said that about women there would be uproar! this is just as bad! stupid bloody woman!
oh btw i am female, i just don't discriminate against people....
- Cd, london, 03/08/2009 11:03
Report abuse
Well she should thank them for developing parliament and her fat pay packet with expenses!
- Sultan, london, 03/08/2009 10:57
Report abuse
Harman should fired immediately for her sexist views.
- Peter Thurgood, London, UK, 03/08/2009 10:54
Report abuse
I bet she has an uncle Joe!
Did anyone who actually voted for Labour vote for this social engineering project at the price of putting the country in the poor house for aa generation?
- Paul ., Central London, 03/08/2009 10:50
Report abuse
She's right: if banks were run by people who come in late, go early, do everything by email and voicemail, take loads of time off then disappear on maternity leave for 6 months, then nothing would go wrong.
- Neil, London, London UK, 03/08/2009 10:50
Report abuse
I don't agree with all-male leaderships,” she said in an interview. “Men cannot be left to run things on their own. I think it's a thoroughly bad thing to have a men-only leadership.”
Looks like same-sex couple relationships are out for adopting children then !
Looks like she is not supporting the Party divesity line, so either she is making policy on the hoof without consulting the members or she is condeming the same-sex part of the party policy, either way she should resign, now !
- Jane, London, 03/08/2009 10:48
Report abuse
Just put the women's movement back 50 years. Ms Harperson, the main reason why women find it difficult to climb up the slippery slope is because the Labour Government promised nursery places for every child which has not happened. In the early years of a woman's career, she does not get paid very much and this, coupled with the astronomical charges for fee paying nurseries, and the inflexibility of the hours she can leave her precious child, does not make it a worthwhile exercise. Of course, the mechanics of real life do not really impact on you with your privileged upper middle class upbringing where destiny and entitlement were never in any doubt. You need to get to the grass roots and stop social engineering and ensure that every child gets the education and encouragement to meet the challenges of having a worthwhile career nowadays that will suit his/her capabilities and aspirations.
- Patricia, LONDON, 03/08/2009 10:46
Report abuse
Harriet is sick, and needs to go to a darkened room and lay down. More drivel from an obsessed woman. However , I do feel that come the leadership election it would be a great contest of her against Mandelson for the true soul of the party and I for one would hope she wins it. The general election with Harriet against Cameron would be one I would pay to watch.
- Fay Mcademy, London, 03/08/2009 10:38
Report abuse
Well speaking as a man and knowing what they're like I have to agree with her.
- Jd, London, 03/08/2009 10:38
Report abuse
Hmm, is it a coincidence that this article and all the disparaging comments that have followed were all written by blokes?
My niece works in the banking sector, and I agree with Harman's view that your gender shouldn't stop you getting onto the board. The fact that she is an outspoken hardline member of a dying Labour government is irrelevant in that respect.
- Austen, London, 03/08/2009 10:37
Report abuse
You may be right Harriet - if most top bankers are men and most banks got into trouble, then a simple equation proves that therefor men are mostly to blame.
Now let`s look at the other side of the equation - at personal lending/spending habits.
Many have noticed that it is the WOMEN who want bigger houses (needing two incomes to afford them) , more (any?)kids (and child minders as they “need” to work for all the luxcessities they demand), bigger 4X4`S (to show off on the school run), endless redecorating (that, generally, the MAN is expected to do on his weekends “off”) fashion clothing, shoes, accessories, makeup, hairdo`s,hair straighteners, curling tongs, dishwashers, fancy pretentious kitchens, leather sofas, new colours to redecorate every year, so new curtains, sofas again, etc etc etc and the list goes on and on and on - you only have to go to a council tip after a weekends shopping spree to see the obscene waste of it all....
So, yes Harriet, men at the top were at fault, but so are the "girls" at the blunt end of the slickets marketing - their plastic “friend and walking wallet at the ready -the real power behind the credit binge that got us into this mess in the first place!
Let`s all have less of "I want" and far more "We need".
- Darius Midwinter, London UK, 03/08/2009 10:34
Report abuse
The chip on Harriet Harman's shoulder should be removed and sent to Africa. It could feed millions.
- Kevin T, Beckenham, Kent, 03/08/2009 10:31
Report abuse
I look forward to the day when the most blatant piece of sexism is addressed by a woman in power - and that is the fact that women can retire at 60 whilst men have to work till they're 65. Why aren't you balancing that one out Mrs Har-onlycountsifitsinawomansorminoritiesfavour-man. ?
- Rob, London, 03/08/2009 10:24
Report abuse
Why in God's good name are people still voting for these people?
We need to put the entire Labour party, not just Gordo, into the history books.
- Lb, London, 03/08/2009 10:21
Report abuse
Actually, on this piont Harriet is absolutely right! There are an equal amount of women in the workplace, but this is not reflected within the boardroom of many UK and global organisations.
We do need to see more women in the boardroom and the sooner the better.
I'm staggered to read the comments about Harriet being 'sexist' on this issue, when that's exactly what she is hoping to re-address... at least she's showing some balls...
- Glen, London, UK, 03/08/2009 10:14
Report abuse
Batty Hatty is Brown's greatest asset - as if he needed this idiot to bolster his chances of alienating half the electorate - he does pretty well at this himself!
- David, soton, 03/08/2009 10:09
Report abuse
Stark raving bonkers ....
- Sarit, Hong Kong, 03/08/2009 10:08
Report abuse
In the light of recent events it has been established that Hatty Harman's female colleagues were at the front of the queue when it came to plundering the public purse to pay for non-existent "second homes" - Smith, Blears, Beckett, Cooper, Moran - to name but a few. Would she have us believe that their fraudulent behaviour is less serious than that of her male counterparts?
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 03/08/2009 09:59
Report abuse
... and I thought she repeatedly says and has said over these past years what a wonderful job Gordon Brown is doing. So she really means he is an incompetent oaf?
- Joe, Thornton Heath, London, England, 03/08/2009 09:56
Report abuse
Women in politics = Nanny Knows best. All of them have adopted this persona. From Thatcher to Bottomley. Hewitt, Becket and Squirrel Nutkin all have this irritating manner.
- Adam, Harrow, UK, 03/08/2009 09:46
Report abuse
I can assure people the culture within the city has not altered and to say it is just male's sums up "hard persons" gullibility. The city is motivated by gluttony. Always has been and always will be the only change recently is a few more Joe publics are aware of it now and envy them.
If people make a massive project why not give a bonus, it's when they make a loss I feel the word Bonus is maltreated, then it becomes wage via the back pocket.
- Gary, Brentwood, 03/08/2009 09:40
Report abuse
This woman is simply mad. I put it down to hormone imbalances, it is common in women of her age.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 03/08/2009 09:37
Report abuse
Thank god after next spring we will never have to hear this sexist dinosaur ever again.
The rest of the world was moved on Harriet, why can't you?
- Jimbob, Kensington, 03/08/2009 09:37
Report abuse
Aren't there laws that cover basic sexism? the sort of drivel this woman spouts?
- Steve, london, 03/08/2009 09:32
Report abuse
