All four Labour leadership candidates have affirmed their support for all-women-shortlists and committed to ensuring a 50/50 gender balance in the Shadow Cabinet in a series of interviews with the Labour Women’s Network.
Speaking to the LWN’s Emma Burnell, the four candidates – Liz Kendall and Jeremy Corbyn from the party’s right and left flanks, Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper from the party’s centre – all signed up to the Network’s five-point pledge, which includes the institution of “a comprehensive policy against sexual harassment in the Labour Party covering staff, elected representatives, activists and members”.
The four candidates were also asked if they identified as feminists. Corbyn replied: “I support women’s rights, I support women having a full role in society, I support total equality, and I can hear my mother telling me now ‘Yes you are’.” Burnham said “Of course I am,” adding that having two daughters had “changed my perspective on life”. “Always have, always will be,” was Kendall’s response, as was Cooper’s, who said that she was “definitely” a feminist, and “always have been”.
The full interviews can be watched below.
Content from our partners
Related
