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Cherie Blair calls for more women MPs
26 Aug 2009The dearth of women MPs at Westminster was branded "unacceptable" by Cherie Blair during an appearance at the Edinburgh festival.
The wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair also described the ill-effects of being "knocked out" by swine flu during a recent bout of the illness.
She also reiterated her criticism of Gordon Brown for "pushing too hard" to succeed her husband as Prime Minister in 2004.
The current percentage of 19% of MPs who are women is still not good enough, according to the former Prime Minister's wife.
"You might think that's OK, but I think that's unacceptable," she told an audience at the Edinburgh Book festival last night during a question and answer session.
"I think it's unacceptable because I think politics and representative democracy should be exactly that.
"You don't have to have exactly 51% women - because there are actually more women in our population - but it does need to have a proper, not just women's voice, but a woman's face."
She indicated her support for women only short lists and said to wait for it to happen naturally means it's "not going to happen".
Mr Brown was at the centre of a row earlier this year when Caroline Flint quit the Government claiming women ministers were treated like window dressing.
Mrs Blair said that she was "very proud" that one third of her husband's cabinet was made of women ministers.
Asked by event chair Sheena McDonald if there was any "window dressing" among these, Mrs Blair replied: "No."
And she added: "Why do you think they were window dressing? I think we had formidable women MPs and members of the Cabinet."
Mrs Blair was promoting the paperback version of her book Speaking for Myself which was first published 18 months ago.
It caused a stir at the time when she claimed Mr Brown had been "rattling the keys" of Downing Street above her husband's head in his attempts to become Prime Minister.
And she said tonight: "By the time, in 2004, I felt that Gordon was pushing too hard."
It was around the time of the Iraq war, she added, and Mr Blair had become unsure whether he was helping the Labour Government by carrying on.
"I personally felt that he was and that he was the right person to continue in that job - I felt very strongly about that and I expressed those views," the barrister and QC added.
It emerged last month that Mrs Blair had been struck down by swine flu.
She said: "I can't remember the last time that I was confined to bed for three days - it's not like me at all.
"The truth was I would get up and have to go and lie down again. It was just one of those things."
She added: "I think it just knocks you out."
Reader views (21)
If Cherie Blair is so concerned about the lack of WomenMPS then why doesn,t she try and become one herself? Mrs Blair is very good at 'Talking the Talk' whether it be about Human Rights or Women,s Rights.But actions speak louder than words and what exactly has Mrs Blair done herself in recent years
The fact is that after her husbands election as PM in 1997 Mrs Blair chose to become an appendage of her husband rather than a woman in her own right.And rather than take responsibility for the many errors of judgement she made she chose to cast herself in the role of 'victim'.It is therfore beyond my comprehension why anyone is remotely interested in anything this woman has to say.
- Paulb, London, 07/09/2009 15:56
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‘Free Country’ Labeling
I wish your support in the promotion of a scheme to ethically label the packaging of imports into the EU, using a simple universally recognised mark.
This particular campaign has the aim of certifying commercial goods to say, that the originating country is a state which conforms to the articles of the Universal Charter on Human Rights.
‘i.e. ‘Country allowing 6 year old children on chain-gangs, no stamp on goods in the High Street. If a country allows ‘All fair & free elections’ it will get its stamp.
A Simple system, with simple audits, and the articles of the UNCHR are used as a simple standard, eventually allowing the consumer to decide if they care about human rights abroad.
My opinion is that the consumer is sick of being told what it should and should not buy, and should have the choice of supporting the economy of governments which suppress civil liberties.
I do not think this scheme will happen overnight, and because of the time this campaign will take to gain momentum, concerns about the well being of the population affected by sharp changes in the market will be diminished. I believe the timing for such a campaign is right, as world markets readjust following a global recession.
I simply wish to ask leading public figures, business leaders, supermarket chains, campaign groups and Members of Parliament to declare if they would support such a scheme, or be against it.
- Gordon Kennedy, DagenhamUK, 27/08/2009 00:53
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I fail to believe that this woman is a great lawyer and not the wife of a prime minister who milked that fact. what she has to say has no interest to me and consequently of no importance.
- William, London, 26/08/2009 20:55
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Who cares what you think Mrs B"liar" do us all a favour and shut up and go away and take your Human Rights Act with you, we dont need a certain ratio of female MP's we just need honest MP's who are prepared to speak up and not toe the party line, mind you Cherie ! finding an honest MP is as rare as "rocking horse manure"--Just look at your husband.
- Geffrey G, Carson, Staffordshire, 26/08/2009 18:54
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cherie blair is the unacceptable face of women with political aspirations, in fact cherie blair is the unacceptable face of all pushy women intent on vain glory
and a free handout.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk, 26/08/2009 16:20
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Why do you give her the oxygen of publicity? Even in her heyday she was no-one.
- Peace Maker, Battersea, 26/08/2009 16:15
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Get yourself on the candidates list, Cherie: let's see who votes for you. You've had a career of your own, which is what people find lacking in politicians, which gives you something to offer.
- Mdj E10, london uk, 26/08/2009 14:01
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Like I suggested after Mrs. Tony Blair bathed in the publicity of her tv show.....I feel a safe labour seat coming on. Wait and see, that's twice I've said it now.
- Ronnie, Billericay England, 26/08/2009 12:32
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How about MPs with integrity and a desire to help the electorate? Rather than bath plug-buying, porn-watching self-centred scroungers.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 26/08/2009 11:44
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What we need are MPs with a sense of honesty, decency and integrity whatever their gender - qualities lacking in the present incumbents. The ease with which it is possible to abuse the expenses system, enabling them to purchase and furnish second homes at tax payers' expense, has attracted a lower calibre of politician. The unethical claims made by Smith, Beckett, Blears, Cooper et al will guarantee that, rather than more women being elected, quite a large of number of them will be kicked out at the next election.
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 26/08/2009 11:29
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Cherie who? A new Fringe act you say?
Let me see female MPs? Oh yes there was that Home Secretary woman, what an outstanding job she did. Then there was that Communities Secretary woman who fiddled her expenses, oh yes and another female MP who paid for some house in Southampton that had nothing to with her. Then there was that Flint woman who complained about sexism and promptly posed for alluring pictures in some newspaper. Then there is that Yvette Cooper who with Ed Balls flipped/fiddled their expenses.
Of course the 'mother' of them all is Harman, what an odious man hating individual she is. How can anyone expect to be taken seriously when she introduces legislation that discriminates against half the population of the country? Namely white
males.
Elderly women and their hormones, what can one say?!
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 26/08/2009 11:15
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Er, two sugars love!
- Paul, London, 26/08/2009 10:32
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I suggest this awful woman crawl back under the rock that she crawled out from under. Her husband has dragged what was a successful country down the gutter. The Human Rights that she actively promotes has also succeeded in dragging us down. She should just be quiet now. No one cares what she thinks.
- Jk, London, 26/08/2009 10:00
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We don't want more women, we don't want more men, we want more people of real ability. Not those who are there just to make up quotants. If you had people who were able and fair minded, then we wouldn't be governed by the spinless, ignorant, money grabbing yes men that seem to be in control now.
- Alan, carlisle uk, 26/08/2009 09:47
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Go away dear there's a good girl.
- Steve, Brentford, 26/08/2009 09:43
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Has it occurred to her that women don't want to be MP's? Perhaps they'd prefer a noble profession, rather than being money grubbing parasites? Of course, they could always marry a politician and then milk the relationship to further their own ambitions, making a ton of money on the after dinner speech circuits?
Incidentally, is it true that Tim Burton modelled the Cheshire Cat from his upcoming adaptation of Alice in Wonderland on her?
- Bob, Cheam, 26/08/2009 09:28
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The dearth of MP's is not the fault of anyone except the women who do not put their names forward. To my knowlege a woman will generally do what she wishes and does not need or want any special treatment. That is why Harriet Hairperson feel on her sword.
- Albert Hall, hove england, 26/08/2009 09:16
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I bet her book does not detail her husbands expenses, total failure on the economy, why the UK was involved in Iraq and Afghanistan, poor record on crime, failure of MOD procurement, illegal migrants, poor health, lack of work . . . . . need I go on.
She and her husband have plundered the country for whatever they can get, then moved on, just like locusts.
If she had any shame, she would donate all proceedings from this book to a charity to aid our returning military heroes who are injured or have fallen on hard times.
ANYBODY AGREE ??
- Jenny, London, England, 26/08/2009 09:15
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Please go away Cherie
- C Cusano, Bedford, 26/08/2009 09:03
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In what capacity is Cherie Blair commenting? There have been a number of female labour MP's who have recently stood down because the going was getting tough. Quality and not quantity is desirable.
- Iain C, London, 26/08/2009 07:42
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Cherie Blair was doing a show at the Fringe? Glad I missed it.
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark, 26/08/2009 07:30
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