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Theresa May attacks Tory MP Dominic Raab over 'feminist bigots' remark

'Labelling feminists as obnoxious bigots is not the way forward,' home secretary tells Raab

 

 

guardian.co.uk, Thursday 27 January 2011 13.36 GMT

 

 

Theresa May today slapped down a backbench Tory MP who called feminists "obnoxious bigots", telling him his comments were "not the way forward" if he wanted to tackle sexism in the workplace.

Dominic Raab, MP for Esher and Walton, claimed men were "getting a raw deal" amid a row over the cost of implementing the Labour government's Equality Act.

Today, during questions in the Commons to May in her role as minister for women and equalities, he told MPs the government should make maternity leave "transferable" between men and women if it wanted to tackle "anti-male discrimination".

May insisted the government's plans to introduce paid paternity leave would mean employers could no longer discriminate against women, as men were just as likely to take time off to look after a baby.

She told Raab: "We should be trying to get away from gender warfare of equality and the politics of difference as you have said.

"But I might suggest to you that labelling feminists as obnoxious bigots is not the way forward to do that."

Raab was taken aback by the rebuke from the home secretary, slumping in his seat before trying to laugh it off with colleagues.

It came after the 37-year-old MP wrote an article for the PoliticsHome website in which he said he supported "consistent equality" between the sexes but claimed "flagrant discrimination" against men was being ignored.

Raab, whose wife Erika works in marketing for a major IT firm, insisted: "From the cradle to the grave, men are getting a raw deal. Men work longer hours, die earlier, but retire later than women. That won't be fixed for another seven years.

"One reason women are left 'holding the baby' is anti-male discrimination in rights of maternity/paternity leave ..."

He added: "Men caused the banking crisis. Men earn more because they are more assertive in pay negotiations.

"One FT [Financial Times] commentator recently complained that: 'High-flying women are programmed to go for high-flying men. Most men aren't attracted to women who are more successful than they are'.

"Can you imagine the outrage if such trite generalisations were made about women, or other minorities? Feminists are now amongst the most obnoxious bigots."

During the debate in the Commons, the backbencher asked May: "Do you agree that making maternity leave transferable would help eliminate anti-male discrimination at the workplace and give couples greater choice about helping address the career-family balance together?"

May said the government's plans to extend paid leave for fathers to up to 10 months would help families address the work-life balance as parents could choose who stays at home to look after the children.



She added: "It also means that in future the employer will not know whether it's the male or the female who's in front of them for employment who will be taking time off to look after a baby. I think that is an important step in dealing with discrimination."

 


Date: 2015-04-20; view: 824


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