ELLE Politics Editor Ellie Gellard shares her views on the Labour leadership result.
The world of politics was turned on its head on Saturday, when the Labour Party elected rebel backbencher Jeremy Corbyn as its leader.
After an impressive campaign which mobilised over 400,000, #JezWeCan turned into #JezWeDid
The revolution had begun. This is not politics, as we know it. New. Fresh. Exciting. Inclusive.
Well, it was meant to be.
Then at 10pm on Sunday (a mere 35 hours into his revolution) – there were signs that this project might not have been as inclusive, as radical – as different - as promised.
Let’s take a look at choices for his top team:
Deputy Leader – Tom Watson - straight white man (though not appointed by Jeremy)
Shadow Home Secretary – Andy Burnham MP - straight white man
Shadow Foreign Secretary – Hilary Benn MP - straight white man
Shadow Chancellor – John McDonnell - straight white man
Welcome to the new politics. Male, pale and stale.
To me, it’s looking a hell of a lot like the old stuff…
Yvette Cooper’s warning that Labour could become ‘startlingly retro’ already seems pretty prescient.
Corbyn clearly believes women are unqualified to talk on the big issues of the day – the economy, home affairs, foreign policy.
So I have one ask – if you’re left depressed by the new politics, if it’s all too familiar, let’s change it.
Join a political party. Get involved. Because it’s now clear - the only way to get women to the top of politics is for us to vote for them.
