Can labour achieve gender balance in the next parliament ?

Well over the weekend i was reading a interview with the Labour party leader Ed miliband and his thoughts of achieving gender equality balance under his leadership.

I thought i should blog on this. I ask you is this possible ? i personally think this is doable. Since the last election labour has gained a lot of female members and i've made friends with a lot of politically engaged women now. It is great to see. But one thing is having new female members of the party and anotehr thing to transforming them into good labour female MP's.

It is tricky but i do hope labour can be seen as the home for women in politics with a fair chance of making the shortlists of being a parliamentary candidate.

Hariot Harman has done wonders in this area at raising the profile of women in the party. I do also think unions especially ones affiliated with labour and the labour movement could do more to encourage women to join a union and gain positions of power within their union.

I am all for equality as you amy all well know but i think labour and the unions need to go further to help this.

It is the start of what i feel is the reallignment of the working class's. Helping other parts of society feel properly represented. This will eventually include women, men, Lesbians, gay and transexual people, disabled and any other group of people i may have messed out if i have i apologise. I just want labour to rediscover itself as being a party for all. a fair chance for all to make it in politics. A fair chance for everyones views to be heard whatever background you are from.

Plot to oust Gordon brown hosted at Hariot Harmans house

we learn today in the times that Hariot harmans house was used as the location for secret meetings with several other high ranked labour MP's before the genearl election to oust Gordon Brown before the election came around.

reading http://www.labourlist.org/plot-to-oust-brown-hatched-at-harmans-home

certain labou members should bear this in mind when defending her after she came under attack at the last PLP meeting where she was hammered for attacking Phil Woolas and making it impossible for him to return to the party even before a appeal had been heard to remove him as a MP.

I personally think Hariot Harman is a good MP and speaks very well but sometimes her actions can be a bit of a liability.

I dont know and havent heard too much of her and Ed milibands relationship but you always get the feeling she is up to something behind peoples backs as this times article highlights.

I just think we should be careful as labour members if you are one reading this to be careful before openly defending people like Hariot despite their great work. Trying to under mine the then PM is a serious thing. Lets not underestimate how serious that is and how destructive that could have been.

Their line was they didnt feel Gordon brown could win the next election. Well are they not making it twice as hard for him by trying to upset the apple cart ?

Just think its a bit wrong.