Failed Identity Politics: Parliamentary Feminists Demand Potential Andy Burnham Government Be Gender 50:50
LONDON – 8th July 2026 — Following Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham’s recent win in the Makerfield by-election, Keir Starmer announced he would be standing down after just two years as Prime Minister, and following constant headlines about his being the least popular PM in British history.
Burnham, necessarily resigning as Mayor and arriving in London, promptly announced his intention to stand. At the time of writing Burnham is unopposed, leading to speculation on the leadership of the country being more of a ‘coronation’ by the ruling Labour party than a democratic contest.
For his part, Starmer imported the ‘believe the victim’ policy in rape and sexual assault trials from the Obama administration when he was Director of Public Prosecutions in the early 2010s, leading to the wrongful conviction of thousands of British men. https://empowerinnocent.wixsite.com/website/post/trawling-and-bundling-policy-and-tactics-in-rape-and-sexual-assault-trials
While the Conservative Party have had 3 female Prime Ministers in Margaret Thatcher, Theresa May and Liz Truss, Labour, seen as the ‘progressive’ choice, have not even had a female as party leader. The Women’s Parliamentary Labour Party (WPLP) is thus pushing for a 50:50 gender split in Andy Burnham’s prospective government because they want to ‘enforce political equality, break up Downing Street’s historical “boys’ club” culture, and avoid a government dominated heavily by male politicians’. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn07ew5n2jro
Critics argue that appointing ministers based on gender rather than ability could lead to the perception that women are in their roles to meet a quota rather than through open competition. There are concerns this devalues the credibility of female ministers. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/kemi-badenoch-labour-leadership-andy-burnham-women-wmz76fvj3
Several prominent female Labour figures – including Yvette Cooper, Shabana Mahmood, and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner – were widely tipped as potential challengers. However, they have chosen not to trigger a contest due to a combination of high structural barriers, tactical timing, and Burnham’s absolute mathematical dominance.
The 50:50 push aims to guarantee that women hold real levers of state power, even if the top job remains held by a man. Burnham has reportedly been receptive to the 50:50 target and has vowed to immediately fire any staff member who leaks negative briefings against female colleagues. Even if the briefings are due to incompetence, we might ask?
Conservative and some centrist commentators characterize the quota demand as “failed identity politics.” Critics argue that female MPs should compete for leadership roles and fight for top jobs on equal terms through conventional political channels, rather than attempting to secure them by lobbying for proportional representation and quotas. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/kemi-badenoch-labour-leadership-andy-burnham-women-wmz76fvj3
A rigged government is not a democratic process. Blair-era Affirmative Action and Positive Discrimination policies are simply discrimination, leading to a House of Commons which is as dominated by females as any other contemporary institution. This is the identity politics version of Blair’s Long March through the Institutions, with its focus on securing more in the feminist power-grab currently undermining so many western governments.
The people elect those they want to represent them, and the Prime Minister should select the best for cabinet positions, regardless of sex, race, class, background etc. This is equality for the voter, and anything else increases the risk of more ‘trauma-informed’ female MPs using their positions to push their misandrist agendas. https://empowerinnocent.wixsite.com/website/post/charlotte-nichols-and-the-proudmanisation-of-westminster. Any forced 50:50 gender gerrymandering would make a mockery of both the Equality Act 2010 and the principle of fair democracy.
The Domestic Abuse and Violence International Alliance – DAVIA — unites 234 member organizations from 44 countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and North America. https://endtodv.org/coalitions/davia/
