Theresa May, equalities minister? Really?

By Caitlin Fitzmaurice / @CateFitzmaurice

The new cabinet, although a coalition, is not a diverse affair. The majority of its ministers are white, middle aged men, privately educated, Oxbridge graduates. So it is, I suppose, kind of understandable that David Cameron had a bit of challenge when it came to picking his minister for equality, one that perhaps forced him into his choice – Theresa May.

When I think about equality, Theresa May, nicknamed by Jan Moir in The Daily Mail as “our kitten-healed crusader“, is not someone who flashes into my mind. If the Mail say positive things about someone, you know that person’s can’t be perfect. Theresa doesn’t even seem to be too bothered about women’s equality issues. When Harriet Harman replaced Gordon for PMQs, her opposite number (the shadow leader of the House) was Theresa May. But rather than taking the step of demonstrating that British politics is a sphere in which women can succeed and reach the big time, Theresa let William Hague take her place. As Harriet Harman said in that very first PMQs “Is this the situation in the modern Conservative Party? Where women should be seen and not heard?” From their new cabinet, evidently it is.

When it comes to gay rights, Theresa’s voting record gets a bit dodgy. She voted against repealing Section 28, against the lowering of the age of consent in homosexual relationships to 16, against gay adoption rights and against the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill that would allow lesbian couples to have fertility treatment, and conceive naturally. Is this really what the ‘new politics’ of this coalition is about? Making Britain less equal?

Theresa’s voting record was brought to my attention when I was invited to join the Facebook group “Sack New Homophobic Equality Minister”. The group stipulates that it’s not “anti-Tory”, but a campaign focussed on making sure the minister responsible for fostering greater equality in this country actually thinks it’s an important issue. Maybe Cameron thought that as Theresa’s a woman, she’s automatically qualified to look after equality issues – that is, of course after she’s finished with the mammoth workload she’s going to get every day from the Home Office, and presumably her ironing.

So does Theresa’s appointment mean that this government doesn’t see equality as a priority? Or do they feel it’s good enough to stick a woman in the job and forget about it? I bet the very feisty Miriam “I have a job don’t you know” Clegg thinks it’s disgusting, or at least, I hope she does. Not that Nick could do anything about it from his box room in the Cabinet Office.