WATCH: Shami Chakrabarti defends all-women shortlists

Shami Chakrabarti, Labour peer and shadow attorney general, launched a strong defence of the party’s all-women shortlists on BBC’s Question Time last night.

Chakrabarti said: “The status quo on this planet is not meritocracy. Women have been bottom of the pile on this planet for thousands of years.

“Now I respect James’ party [the Tories] for having produced two women Prime Ministers but Prime Ministers by themselves are not enough.

“It’s only because of all-women shortlists that Labour now has more women in parliament than all the other parties put together – and we’re still not 50 per cent yet.”

“Women have been bottom of the pile on this planet for thousands of years”

Shami Chakrabarti says it is important to have all-women shortlists to ensure that more women become involved in politics #bbcqtpic.twitter.com/fVtv7I5jJd

— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) March 22, 2018