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Harman honours Thatcher after 'airbrushing' her from distinguished list
Joe Murphy, Political Editor16.09.09
Harriet Harman today agreed to honour Margaret Thatcher's achievements after apparently “airbrushing” the first woman Premier from a government website.
Labour's Minister for Women and Equality blamed an “oversight” by an official for omitting Britain's Iron Lady from a list of great achievements by women in politics.
The taxpayer-funded document, published on Ms Harman's Equalities Office website, found space for an array of Labour women, including several of Ms Harman's close friends.
But, inexplicably, it made no mention at all of Lady Thatcher's historic success in 1975 when she was elected leader of the Conservative Party, the first time a woman had led a major party.
Against the year 1979, it records: “UK's first woman Prime Minister”, without even naming the grocer's daughter who went on to win two more elections and change the face of the country over 11 tumultuous years in power.
A spokesman for Ms Harman's department said: “It was an oversight and it will be rectified today.”
But an old friend of Lady Thatcher gave Ms Harman a handbagging. He said: “Quite rightly this ridiculous omission has been corrected but I think Margaret would be shocked that with all the serious problems facing our country at the moment some ministers seem more preoccupied with rewriting history.”
Lady Thatcher is not the only glaring omission. Britain's first woman Cabinet minister, trade unionist Margaret Bondfield who became Minister of Labour in 1929, is mysteriously left out. She was appointed by Ramsay MacDonald, who was later expelled from the Labour Party.
There was also no mention of former education secretary ShirleyWilliams, who left Labour for the Liberal Democrats, or the hugely powerful former first secretary of state, the late Baroness Castle.
But among those who are given heroic mentions are many of Ms Harman's contemporaries in New Labour.
Baroness Amos is hailed for becoming the first black woman Cabinet minister in 2003, while Lady Scotland is recorded as the first black female minister in 1997.
London's Diane Abbott is named as the first black woman MP in 1987. But some names are more obscure, such as Britain's first black female mayor — Lydia Simmons, in Slough, 1984.
Reader views (9)
It has been a signature of this ramshackle administration whereby substance is ignored in favour of spin. They have become masters of a level newspeak, doublespeak and obfuscation that would stupefy even Orwell.
I knew some ultra left-wingers (workers, not politicians!) during Mrs T's stewardship of our country, and to a man/woman they vehemently detested her policies. However they all respected her forthrightness. "At least you know where you stand with her," I recall one opining.
As for Brown, Blair and Mandelson with their collection of hangers-on known collectively as the New Labour "Project," the truth seems to be entirely dispensible. We should not therefore be surprised at Ms Harman's "oversight".
- John C, Leatherhead, UK
This woman is a disgrace whatever people think of Mrs Thatcher she deserves respect. This woman should hang her head in shame ,but it sums up these ignorent people that think they can lie ,steal from the taxpayer and rewrite history.
I coulkd use so many swearwords for my true feelings .
If she thinks she can run the country God help us.
- Tonyjohnson, Hythe Kent
I think people here are missing something - it isn't Labour skullduggery afoot here. This is the work of an individual and her cronies. I would have said, trying to be clever with words, that she had "Harmonised" political history - but this woman and 'harmony' are polar opposites.
- Rogan, Irving
It's contempt like this Ms Harman, that may deny you a 'shot' at the Labour leadership. It's insulting to those you erased and to the public.
I suggest a public apology... we are all of us 'standing on the shoulders of giants'... you'd do well to remember that young lady..!
- Paul Jardine, Bromley, Kent
Rob,London,you took the words right out of my keyboard.
Spot on.
Harman is a self aggranising,predatory politician.
It is an insult to the incredibly hard working women I know,that she uses her gender to promote herself when it suits her.
- Jimfred, London
"Labour's Minister for Women and Equality blamed an “oversight” by an official for omitting Britain's Iron Lady from a list of great achievements by women in politics."- Liar!
The collective "achievements" of the entire NuLabour politburo will be forever overshadowed by those of Lady Thatcher alone.
Harpy will NEVER walk in Thatcher's footsteps.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
A spokesman said "it was an oversight and will be rectified today" er No an oversight is when you forget to do something due to carelessness, how can the omission of Mrs Thatcher and her achievements as a female politician, love or hate her, be considered as such. This is Labour airbrushing history to suit its own publicity machine.
- H, London, UK
It seems that Harriet Harman is not only anti men, she´s anti Margaret Thatcher and a few people of her own sex too. And exactly where does Ms Harmen appear in her list of great achievements by women in politics, I wonder? I seem to recall she once supported watering down the child pornography laws, but that´s about all. Not a particularly notable achievement, I would have thought.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
Just like labour to want to re-write history the way they think it should be. The way they act is almost Stalin-est. When I mention Stalin, a Left Wing politician, we should also mention the 30 million people who dies under his rule. Not so inclusive after all are Left wing thinkers and do-ers.
- Rob, london
