Black Ethinic Minority Shortlisting

[ruby27]

Watching the Politics Show, the subject of B & EM only shortlist came up. Labour have managed to increase women MP's by this method, so it would make sense to do this for B and EM candidates. Assuming that you want a more representative parliament.

As a women I feel that the playing field was not equal and the only way to get more women was for in effect positive discrimination. Therefore the same method should be employed to gain more representative MP's.

I know there will be some who will complain and in the Labour party threaten to resign but over all the advantages will out weigh the disadvantages?

[tubeway]

Forget positive discrimination - it is DISCRIMINATION - the only criteria should be to select the best person irrespective of gender, race, creed, colour, age, sexuality etc etc. Why should a white, heterosexual, male be discrminated against because he is a white male?
You complain that the playing field was not equal - your solution - keep the playing field unequal, but discriminate against somebody else.

[naomi24]

Ruby, why should a woman get the job if there's a man available who is more qualified - or will do it better? Where's the sense in that? Going along that path will only mean the job will not be done as well as it might, and therefore it's totally illogical. I don't get this 'as a woman' bit you speak of. I'm a woman and your views are certainly not representative of mine.

Raggy Roman and Tubeway - both absolutely rght. The best person for the job should get it regardless of race, colour, age, gender - or anything else.

[Andyvon]

How on earth can you claim to believe in equality Ruby? Everyone has an equal right and equal chance in our society - that's the law! If you start imposing individuals on people there will be so much anger and trouble.Perhaps you don't care who is imposed on you but many do and we already have so much trouble in society that we surely don't want more.

[ruby27]

So do I gather from the answers that my viewpoint is not shared!!

It comes down in my opinion to whether you think that the vast difference in women being MP's is due to inequalities that exist in British society which are inherent in every institution. My view given I see the world through a sort of Marxist/feminist lens.

Or you have another explanation for why there isn't similar numbers of men and women MPs.

Because of my bias, I perceive the solution to what I think is a problem; is active intervention to address the imbalance. Certain areas were targeted for shortlisting women only. There are now more labour women MP's so I see that the approach taken worked.

I therefore think that if this approach worked with women it should work equally well with the non white population. So as I consider parliament would be a better place if more representative of the population, I see this as a better system than allowing inequalities to go unchecked.