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An 'Ard 'ern'd lesson for UK Labour!
As Jacinda Ardern smashes her way to a landslide victory in New Zealand, UK Labour look on mournfully & in envy...
What can Jacinda's meteoric rise teach European progressive Social Democrats about what they're doing wrong?
A thread...(1)
As Jacinda Ardern smashes her way to a landslide victory in New Zealand, UK Labour look on mournfully & in envy...
What can Jacinda's meteoric rise teach European progressive Social Democrats about what they're doing wrong?
A thread...(1)
First things first, let's get one thing out the way. I don't dislike Jacinda Ardern & I suspect, nor do a lot of British conservatives. Quite a lot actually do like her, the person (not the policy) I suspect & that's why she attracts such vicious attacks from some... (2)
... trolls. If all you're looking for is to spew hateful stuff, this thread is probably not for you... & I'm exercising my muting finger as we speak! 
Also, whilst I don't pearl clutch over anyone daring to mention a female politicians appearance (we do it often... (3)
Also, whilst I don't pearl clutch over anyone daring to mention a female politicians appearance (we do it often... (3)
... (cont'd soon)
... enough for male politicians) if all you've come here to tell me is Jacinda has big teeth, this is not the place for you. I'm sure even she is aware of her big smile (if she wasn't, she certainly will be after seeing her Spitting Image puppet).
OK, everybody clear? Good!(4)
OK, everybody clear? Good!(4)
So let's start with Jacinda the persona, because that is the coat-hook on which her political success is built.
Let's start with the obvious
in the room for UK Labour, she's a woman...
The UK Labour Party has a real issue with the idea of a woman as leader. It's...(5)
Let's start with the obvious
in the room for UK Labour, she's a woman...The UK Labour Party has a real issue with the idea of a woman as leader. It's...(5)
... whole selection system for choosing leaders disadvantages women or has seemingly up to now.
A long list of women could have led the party, amongst them big names like Barbara Castle, Shirley Williams, Margaret Beckett & Yvette Cooper. But none ever has.
In a UK...(6)
A long list of women could have led the party, amongst them big names like Barbara Castle, Shirley Williams, Margaret Beckett & Yvette Cooper. But none ever has.
In a UK...(6)
... political scene where the Tories, SNP, Plaid, DUP, Sinn Fein, The Greens & even UKIP have had a female leader, some more than one.
Why does this matter? Well if you are going to bang on about progressive ideals, its a good idea to make sure the top tier of your party...(7)
Why does this matter? Well if you are going to bang on about progressive ideals, its a good idea to make sure the top tier of your party...(7)
... leads from the front. Currently Labour don't & it leaves them open to (pretty valid) criticism.
But it goes further than that with Jacinda. The past decade (+) has been dominated by a lot of what I'd call 'c
ck-swinging' strongman politics. From Trump, from Putin...(8)
But it goes further than that with Jacinda. The past decade (+) has been dominated by a lot of what I'd call 'c
ck-swinging' strongman politics. From Trump, from Putin...(8)
... from Boris, Macron, Xi, Varadkar, Trudeau, even the likes of Obama. But its not just been the men, May, Merkel, Gillard, Park, the female world leaders have been all to keen to get in on the action & wave their (metaphorical) political willies around as well!
... (9)
... (9)
... This is not Ardern's style.
Her's might be best summed up by the words of another (former) female PM &, interestingly, the only other woman to give birth whilst in office as PM, Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan.
She too had identified this trend for this type of...(10)
Her's might be best summed up by the words of another (former) female PM &, interestingly, the only other woman to give birth whilst in office as PM, Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan.
She too had identified this trend for this type of...(10)
... political behaviour in the 70's & 80's & how female world leaders had competed in it. She had also seen the devestating consequences it can have, both personally, in her own fathers execution & more widely on how it had torn her homeland apart.
So in one of her first...(11)
So in one of her first...(11)
... (cont'd soon)
