A campaign by Labour's Women's Parliamentary Labour Party (WPLP) has sent shockwaves through the party and beyond, with its leaders urging prospective Prime Minister Andy Burnham to deliver on a promise of gender parity within his government. The WPLP's 50:50 commitment would see half of all senior roles filled by women, a move aimed at tackling what they describe as a 'toxic' culture that has led to women feeling undermined and excluded from key decision-making processes.
The draft letter seen by the BBC criticises the party's current lack of progress on gender equality, suggesting that this has resulted in 'blind spots' in both appointment decisions and policy development. The WPLP is adamant that their electoral success has been hard-won, only for women to then struggle to be heard within their own party.
Concerns have been raised about the potential departure of current Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the first woman to hold this position, as well as speculation surrounding former New Labour ally James Purnell's possible return as Chief of Staff. This has prompted one WPLP member to suggest that having more male figures in senior roles would be unacceptable.
Mr Burnham reportedly met with the WPLP this week, reassuring them of his support and promising to address any instances of sexism within his team. Despite this, the WPLP's draft letter outlines a comprehensive 13-point plan aimed at tackling gender inequality, including calls for a female Deputy Prime Minister and a zero-tolerance policy for bullying or misogyny from Downing Street staff and parliamentarians.
The group is also pushing for improved security measures to combat online abuse and legislative action against deepfakes, highlighting the broader threats faced by women, particularly those from ethnic minorities. This renewed pressure for gender equality echoes previous calls from the WPLP, which previously pushed Sir Keir Starmer to appoint a woman to the role of First Secretary of State.