When all-women shortlists hit the mainstream media, it’s usually because certain party members are unhappy with their application. But in the ongoing centrally-controlled selection in Edmonton, sources tell us local members and elected constituency Labour party (CLP) officers have specifically requested an all-women shortlist. Now, surely this would be welcomed by Labour’s national executive committee (NEC)? Alas, they appear to have decided once again to ignore the will of local members, and men will be allowed on the shortlist too.

Affirmative measures to increase the representation of women have been fought ever since they were first mooted by grassroots party activists. Initially, the proposals of the Women’s Action Committee and the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy were fiercely resisted by the party’s leadership and bureaucracy. More recently, some CLP activists have complained that all-women shortlists have been applied, or indeed ruled out, by Labour’s executive to favour certain candidates in the running: women or men. This latest news only reinforces that perception. Continue reading →