Labour First 100 Days: A New Era for Women?

Where do women stand 100 days into the new Labour government? At The Fawcett Society we’ve been watching closely at what the new government has done and said about women’s equality in their first weeks. They inherited a difficult picture for women: with the gender pay gap stagnant, violence against women skyrocketing and overlapping equalities making the cost-of-living crisis even harder for women from different backgrounds, there is a lot for the new government to do – and with an ambitious set of pre-election manifesto commitments, expectations for delivery are high

As the UK’s leading membership charity campaigning for gender equality, we’re delighted by the positive announcements and ambitions from the new Cabinet, which demonstrate that they have thought seriously about tackling gender inequality. But there’s plenty more to do to show Labour can actually transform the lives of women and girls in Britain. Focus must now turn to delivery to address some of the major barriers to opportunity.

So, where are we 100 days in and where do we go next for women’s equality?

Closing the Gender Pay Gap

At Labour Party Conference, the first female Chancellor in history restated her desire to close the gender pay gap which remains stubbornly high at 14.4% for all workers in the UK. Fawcett analysis has shown this means women taking home £574 less every month on average and the gap is nearly double for some ethnic minority women showing the ‘double whammy’ of racism and sexism some women experience.

We absolutely welcome the Chancellor’s commitment to reduce the gender pay gap. These words now need action. To close the gender pay gap over time, the Chancellor will need to address unequal pay and the motherhood penalty. This starts with a long-term plan for high quality, affordable early years education, universal access to flexible working, and parental leave reform to incentivise fathers taking on more caring responsibilities. We look forward to working with the Chancellor in the next 100 days to make this promise a reality.

Employment Bill That Works for Women

This week, the Employment Rights Bill was introduced to Parliament. It includes a number of positive measures to drive towards women’s workplace equality. These include enhanced flexible working, equality action plans which will include the steps businesses are taking to close the gender pay gap, stronger protections to end sexual harassment at work and better protections against pregnancy and maternity discrimination. After years of feminist campaigning, Fawcett is pleased to see these commitments move closer to becoming law. You can read our full response to the Bill and where we think it needs to go further here.

50% Split of Ministerial Roles for Women

Within days of the new government, Fawcett was delighted to see the British government finally achieve a 50% split of ministerial roles for women, with women from working class backgrounds at the very top of government. This historic move will help ensure that women’s voices are heard in the decision-making. We would like to see the government also ensure that Black, Asian and ethnic minority voices are reflected and represented around the Cabinet table.

Women in Britain also now have not one, but two, Ministers for Women and Equalities who both attend Cabinet with other positions. The Fawcett Society was disappointed not to see the commitment to a Secretary of State for Women and Equalities fulfilled but we look forward to working with all Ministers to deliver an agenda for women’s equality so that women’s leadership can thrive in Parliament and beyond.

Misogyny as Extremism

The new government was quick take a stand against misogyny in the first weeks of its power with a groundbreaking announcement declaring misogyny as a form of extremism, which building on our campaign to make misogyny a hate crime. This recognition from the new Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, is vital for policing and preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG). By framing misogyny as a serious societal issue, we can create safer communities and hold perpetrators accountable. This is positive step towards Labour’s mission to halve rates of VAWG in a decade. Fawcett wants to see the delivery of a transformative cross-government agenda here including the delivery of manifesto commitments to tackle online misogyny, curriculum reform and specialist courts and officers in every part of the criminal justice system. We’ll continue to work with our partners across the VAWG sector to ensure that this topic remains in the spotlight.

Buffer Zones at Abortion Clinics

Protecting access to reproductive health services is crucial. The introduction of buffer zones around abortion clinics ensures that women can access these essential services without harassment. The delivery of this long-standing and rolled-over commitment from the previous government reflects a broader understanding of women’s rights to make choices about their own bodies—free from intimidation. Fawcett will continue to campaign for reform of abortion laws to finally decriminalise abortion England, Scotland and Wales, and ensure no women ever again goes to prison for undertaking an abortion.

Conclusion

The Labour Government’s first 100 days show a clear commitment to advancing women's rights. With initiatives aimed at closing the gender pay gap, increasing representation, and ensuring safety, we are witnessing a hopeful shift toward equality. The Fawcett Society will always stand up for women’s equality. We want to work with the new government to ensure the next 100 days and more see delivery on these promises so that women and girls in all their diversity are equal and truly free to fulfil their potential, creating a stronger, happier and better future for us all.

photo credit, Straitel