Rushing into the centre of Brighton before a date with a roller derby bout, I heard over my iPod the tones of a politician. I heard the peculiar speech pattern and thought: 'Ah, Labour conference. Politician.' I did not think, as I rounded the corner, 'Ed Miliband.' Which was surprising. Because while you might not know his policies, remember quite what facial feature distinguishes him from his brother David you think you do know what this. man. sounds. like. (emulating the old political speech pattern there.)
But Ed's nasal tones are not important, unless you too are known for a nasal speaking voice and are interested in what adenoid surgery can do for you. It was Ed Miliband I heard, he was the politician speaking on the streets of Brighton (New Road, if you like that kind of detail) answering questions from anyone, ANYONE even a cyclist, who was a member of the general public.
But Ed's nasal tones are not important, unless you too are known for a nasal speaking voice and are interested in what adenoid surgery can do for you. It was Ed Miliband I heard, he was the politician speaking on the streets of Brighton (New Road, if you like that kind of detail) answering questions from anyone, ANYONE even a cyclist, who was a member of the general public.
People asked Ed about Tony Blair's war criminal status ('not a war criminal'), about their small local businesses, academies, the NHS and whether they should bother even voting. Unless I missed it, nobody asked about women's rights or abortion and contraception. Maybe those aren't appropriate questions to shout out on the street to an MP on a soapbox. I toyed with asking Ed what his favourite colour was. I didn't ask a question about women's issues. Forgive me, I was taken aback.
However, out of the three - Nick Clegg, David Cameron and Ed Miliband I am most interested in Ed's opinion on feminism. Partly because I'm a feminist and I'm interested. Partly because I am invited to judge all male politicians by their wives. Jacqui Smith never carted out her husband to make her seem well rounded (all the coverage of her noticeable cleavage on her appointment as home secretary did that arf-arf), Tessa Jowell is not introduced by her partner and Harriet Harman does not demand family members announce her arrival.
However, out of the three - Nick Clegg, David Cameron and Ed Miliband I am most interested in Ed's opinion on feminism. Partly because I'm a feminist and I'm interested. Partly because I am invited to judge all male politicians by their wives. Jacqui Smith never carted out her husband to make her seem well rounded (all the coverage of her noticeable cleavage on her appointment as home secretary did that arf-arf), Tessa Jowell is not introduced by her partner and Harriet Harman does not demand family members announce her arrival.
| I don't know if this is because women politicians are automatically assumed to be peculiar, even monsters, they have after all decided to enter politics leaving either a real family or potential family (future Daily Mail features can be hotly anticipated from various woman MPs and their regret at choosing politics over family). Or because women, with their multi-tasking ways are able to convey someone with both politics and a grasp on normality. | the old 'judge them by their wife, not their policies' attitude reared its ugly head |
Writing in the Guardian Zoe Williams said of Ed's popularity, or, let's say image: "Maybe he has grown into their faith, or maybe he has been like this all along and it just never made the newsroom cut, or maybe he has simply been doing the job for some time and has become better at it. But Miliband revealed some likable qualities, an easy comic delivery, an air of bounding on the balls of his feet which he was probably not literally doing (I couldn't see his feet)."
However the old 'judge them by their wife, not their policies' attitude reared its ugly head when a seemingly excitable Labour Southampton candidate told Zoe: "This would be a good story for you: Justine has spoken in public for the first time. She might introduce Ed." It was just so lame – firstly, Justine is a barrister and has most likely spoken in public before; secondly, wives have been attempting to humanise their politician husbands since the dawn of time; thirdly, do we really have to be diverted by this arsewittery again? "What?" she said, seeing my reaction. "Justine is a real feminist." As it turned out, the tip wasn't even correct."
OK, but Justine is not running for Prime Minister. Is Ed a feminist? In his speech in Brighton yesterday he made sure he noted the dearth of women in parliament. "...the voices of young people, particularly women, who say in 2013 the battle for equality is not won. They're not happy that 33 per cent of Labour MPs are women, they want it to be 50 per cent, and they are right. And they are not satisfied that women are still subject to violence, everyday sexism and harassment. And they are right. They are not satisfied that 40 years after the equal pay act we still don't have equal pay for workers in this country, and they are right."
These seem like the words of a man who does not need to be introduced by his wife to humanise him. Catchphrase of the day: "We're Britain, we can do better"
We are women, can we do better?
Squeamish Kate
However the old 'judge them by their wife, not their policies' attitude reared its ugly head when a seemingly excitable Labour Southampton candidate told Zoe: "This would be a good story for you: Justine has spoken in public for the first time. She might introduce Ed." It was just so lame – firstly, Justine is a barrister and has most likely spoken in public before; secondly, wives have been attempting to humanise their politician husbands since the dawn of time; thirdly, do we really have to be diverted by this arsewittery again? "What?" she said, seeing my reaction. "Justine is a real feminist." As it turned out, the tip wasn't even correct."
OK, but Justine is not running for Prime Minister. Is Ed a feminist? In his speech in Brighton yesterday he made sure he noted the dearth of women in parliament. "...the voices of young people, particularly women, who say in 2013 the battle for equality is not won. They're not happy that 33 per cent of Labour MPs are women, they want it to be 50 per cent, and they are right. And they are not satisfied that women are still subject to violence, everyday sexism and harassment. And they are right. They are not satisfied that 40 years after the equal pay act we still don't have equal pay for workers in this country, and they are right."
These seem like the words of a man who does not need to be introduced by his wife to humanise him. Catchphrase of the day: "We're Britain, we can do better"
We are women, can we do better?
Squeamish Kate
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