Appointments | Socialist Action 1983

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shortlist' policy was and vocally compared to propotional representation have been continuously being particularly favourable to the promotion of women and black candidates. Shirley Williams' › a question on Black Sections on BBC TV's Question Time last week was typical: In a five or six seat constituency it is inconceivable that at candidate from each party be black'. Of course she didn't point out that it is also extremely likely that the black or woman candidate would be the ones to drop off the bottom of any prioritised list!

The Alliance manifesto continues in the tradition of high profile promotion of women. The word 'woman' appears on virtually every page, it is featured in But singling out the proposal for increased appointments to public bodies is a key indicator of the entire Alliance strategy on he present aD. pointment of women to public bodies averages around 23 per cent. Even the Home Office, which appoints the Equal Opportunities Commission Department of Trade, which appoints to price consumer bodies, manage 30 and 29 per cent respectively. The Department of Education and Science only appoints around 12 per cent women to its public bodies!

For a certain layer of professional women the Alliance's proposal would undoubtedly open up a whole range of highly paid administrative posts which have previously been closed to them.

The proposal sulalesy. through in every aspect of the Alliance manifesto as it affects women. The net effect of the Alliance proposals is to offer some real gains for a restricted layer of professional and highly qualified women. However for the great majorithe ty of women the proposals are surich cosmetic, and the Alliance's manifesto only would lead to a deepening of the pro blems confronting the low paid, and unskilled women workers. the privatisation policy of the Tories, and their restrictions on local government finances. been in the public sector, especially in local government, that women have made the most gains in pay, promition

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THE Alliance today sunning candidates SO BACO Socialist Action 29 May 1987 Alliance lists the far Left candidates