Labour leader hopeful Jess Phillips says men need to ‘pass the mic’ and let women take top jobs
LABOUR leader hopeful Jess Phillips has today urged men to “pass the mic” to women and let them get top jobs. As she fights it out with her colleagues for the Labour crown, the Birmingham Yardley MP took a dig at the only man in the race, Sir Keir Starmer. And she said those men […]
LABOUR leader hopeful Jess Phillips has today urged men to “pass the mic” to women and let them get top jobs.
As she fights it out with her colleagues for the Labour crown, the Birmingham Yardley MP took a dig at the only man in the race, Sir Keir Starmer.
And she said those men who really believe in making things equal for men and women should consider standing aside for women.
Speaking to Sky News today, she said: “When you’re a woman in politics, it’s always your turn next time.
“I think that if you truly believe in women’s representation, sometimes passing the mic is the greatest way to show [that].”
But she added it would be difficult to do if “you truly believe you’re the best person for the job”.
Ms Phillips, an outspoken critic of the outgoing Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, said it would “look bad” if the party failed yet again to elect a woman.
She’s running against three other women for the top job – Rebecca Long-Bailey, Emily Thornberry and Lisa Nandy.
However, Sir Keir Starmer, the current Shadow Brexit Secretary, is the favourite to win the crown.
Ms Phillips said would be “embarrassing” for the party to fail again to elect a woman.
Ms Phillips also revealed she once thought that some drugs should be legalised, but had changed her mind since becoming a politician.
“People want to see hard action [on drugs],” she insisted.
“Drugs are not fought against at all – we are losing the war on drugs.
“Deaths are rising, crime is being widely affected by it.”
She also said Labour must have a serious conversation about how to pay for public services – as no one believed the party could deliver what it promised during last year’s election drubbing.
“The broadband policy went down appallingly badly”, she admitted.
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“It wasn’t that they didn’t like [the policy], but that didn’t think it could be delivered.
“The fundamental point was trust.”
The new Labour leader is set to be elected by the start of April.
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