Trevor Phillips Scorches Labour’s Lack of Female Leaders

Sky News’ Trevor Phillips asked a senior minister what is “wrong” with Labour as he tore into the party’s lack of female leaders.

Labour is currently in turmoil as speculation of a coup mounts.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is campaigning as the party’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election.

If he wins and becomes an MP, he is expected to challenge Keir Starmer’s leadership, sparking a contest which ex-health secretary Wes Streeting has already vowed to join.

Senior female party figures, like former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, are yet to say if they would partake in any leadership race.

Interviewing work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden on Sky News, Phillips said: “There’s a shadow contest going on. The Labour Party’s not going to have a female leader. It’s bizarre.

“This is not something you could say of any self-democratic party, most of the centre-right parties in Europe [have had a female leader] – the Tories have had four!

“Genuinely, what is about the Labour Party that makes it, as far as I can see, incapable of having a serious female contender for leadership?”

McFadden said that was a “good and serious point”, though he rejected claims there was any contest coming on right now as no one has formally challenged the prime minister.

But he added: “If there is a contest, then why should it just be with the people who so far have been mentioned?”

Phillips said: “What’s wrong with the Labour Party?”

“The Labour Party’s not perfect, like any other organisation,” McFadden replied. “There are wonderful women politicians in the Labour Party, many of them are capable of leadership, and if we ever are in a position of a contest, why wouldn’t they put themselves forward?”

Phillips’ question comes after Jess Phillips told the Hay festival this week that her party is sexist for having no permanent female leaders in its history.

The MP for Birmingham Yardley, who resigned as the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls earlier this month, said: “Like all institutions [Labour] is a bit sexist”.

She added that “every institution that every single person in this room works for is led by the patriarchy”.

However, she disputed the idea that just having a woman in power would improve the UK.

“I have to say, the idea that a woman leads and it makes it better for women is not one that I’ve recognised in this country,” she said.

“My mortgage went up by a thousand pounds a month, cheers Liz [Truss]. I shouted at her, every time I saw her, the amount that she now owed me. She has not paid me back.”

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