first woman chancellor fails to move dial for women in work

This week’s budget from Rachel Reeves was disappointing from a female perspective on so many counts.

I listened carefully as she delivered the statement, as I had to write a commentary, and was intrigued when she started with a call out to girls and young women to “let there be no ceiling on your ambition”.  It seemed she would set out measures to tackle the myriad ways in which women continue to work for less reward, manage caring responsibilities without social support or structure, start and run businesses without start-up support and funding, or all the other challenges posed by being a woman at work or in business.

I imagined we were about to witness a female-centred heart to the budget, but in fact she was just, to be blunt, grandstanding about being a successful role model.  She then proceeded to do nothing to help those coming up behind from her position of power.  That’s an old chestnut, that women in power don’t help those coming up, but in this instance it seemed to live on.

Once she sat back down, it was obvious that nothing was to be done about dismantling any of the double glazed ceilings that continue to block the way ahead for girls and young women.  Nor anything to tackle the challenges facing  those already in the workplace – whether considering how to balance having a family with work, securing funding for a start up, or just tackling the gender pay gap, and indeed the gender pension gap.  Everything changes, yet everything stays the same. 👎 👎 👎