Harman: women must have prominent role

Labour risks "repelling" women voters if it fields an all-male line up of ministers to front a general election campaign.

The party must make women "central in shaping the campaign" or millions of women may feel "patronised" and not bother to vote Labour.

The warning was made by Harriet Harman, the Solicitor General, yesterday at a meeting with women journalists.

Ms Harman said issues such as improved childcare provision will be at the heart of Labour's campaign for a third term. But she warned: "We can't be a party of women if men are seen telling women what to do. It's patronising to have a situation where we have men telling women what's good for them. It has the effect of repelling women."

Labour was pilloried at the last general election for holding press conferences with an all-male line up of ministers. The party rectified the situation by inviting women ministers to join the line-up but they were interrupted and ignored by male colleagues on live television.

This time the "faces of Labour" are expected to be Gordon Brown, Alan Milburn, Ian McCartney and Tony Blair. But Ms Harman said women must also have a visible presence in the campaign.

Ms Harman was addressing a breakfast meeting hosted by Women in Journalism and the Fawcett Society, which campaigns for more women in public life. "We can't have a situation where we have men telling women what they want," she said. "It's very important that we make women in the party central in shaping the campaign. There is a mighty force out there we haven't toppled, which is women activists."