David Cameron Appointing A New Minister For Women And Equalities Was A Shambles

The Shambles That Was The 'Minister For Women And Equalities' Appointment

Opinion is divided about the suitability for Sajid Javid, a former managing director at Deutsche Bank, to take on the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

Opinion is not divided, however, about the suitability for Javid, a man, to take on the other portfolio belonging to the newly jobless Maria Miller: women and equalities. Universally, it wasn't thought to be for the best.

Thus, Nicky Morgan, stepping up from her role as Economic Secretary to replace Javid as Financial Secretary to the Treasury, will attend Cabinet in her additional role as Minister for Women.

And all seemed neat enough. Even with Gloria De Piero, shadow minister for women and equalities, lamenting there is "now no full member of the Cabinet speaking for women".

But it appeared the second half of Miller's brief had been forgotten. That of "minister for equalities".

Wags soon pointed out that Morgan's appointment to that title might not go down too well, because of her opposition last year to the legalisation of gay marriage.

It led PinkNews publisher Benjamin Cohen to comment that it was "unfortunate that the new Minister for Women opposes the rights of some women, lesbians, to have the right to marry.

"I hope that in her new role, Nicky Morgan will represent all women regardless of the gender of the person they love."

Not to worry, Downing Street announced, as if that had been the intention all along, Javid has taken on responsibility in government for equalities.

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