For those of you who missed it, Radio Four has just broadcast a piece about what the women who worked with think Gordon Brown think of him. Not a lot, it seems. Here are some of the quotes:
Jane Kennedy
“Well I think that the Labour Party is expecting us to do better. The Parliamentary Labour Party were told in the first meeting after the election in June we were promised that there was going to be a change. We haven’t seen that change yet, we haven’t even really seen the kind of clarity and willingness to listen to what the voters are telling us about policy. I’ve had lots of policy differences whilst I’ve been a member of the Government and with policy you can argue about the policy, but when it is a behavioural trait that you keep being promised is going to change and doesn’t, that’s a real difficulty because the only thing you can then do is change the person get somebody else to do the job.
I am sad not to be in the Government but I’d be even sadder, I’d be distraught if the Labour Party loses the next election and I fear that with Gordon as leader we don’t have much chance.
…
He has and always has had a group of people around him that have been engaged in undermining Labour people. We want our politics to be about policy and about politics not about the personalities but unfortunately we have it constantly thrust in our face and the way in which people are undermined is usually very personal, it’s a very personal attack and it’s very distasteful.”
Caroline Flint
“It hasn’t been pleasant. So why women should be picked out in this way? I pick up the papers every day and I see all sorts of unattributable quotes from ministers – and 9 times out of 10 they will be men.”
Estelle Morris
“I’m immensely proud of what we’ve done but if you were to say to me what’s been the area where you’ve made least progress it has been that we’ve not seriously tried to change the style of politics. I think they’ve wasted an opportunity and I do put the briefings and the rest in with it. But I do not know a female minister who briefs against her colleague.”
Patricia Hewitt
“He’s Presbyterian, he’s very, very serious, and intellectual in his politics and his whole approach to life. he was never part of the 60’s and 70’s social revolution – the women’s movement, gay rights, diversity it’s just not really part of who he is.
Sue Nye who’s Gordon Brown’s gate keeper absolutely – she’s been there right from the beginning of Gordon Brown’s rise. Shriti Vadera – whose been one of his closest economic advisers she’s in there, but really with those 2 exceptions Gordon Brown’s inner circle has always been small, almost entirely men and as far as I can see really rather laddish in its culture.”
Margaret Jay
“To be honest with you I wouldn’t say I ever really got to know him because personally I find him quite intimidating. He’s always dealt with me very professionally, courteously, and in fact for example in regard to my family been very kind and thoughtful but I’ve never really felt I had a particular personal connection with him.”
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