Political dinosaur Harriet Harman’s comments about pregnant Coutinho shows us why we must STOP listening to her advice

HARRIET HARMAN claims to be a champion of women’s rights. But in one oh-so-telling sentence, the Labour grandee has managed to insult working women everywhere. Harriet Harman has accused the Tories of being ‘woke’ for promoting Claire Coutinho to the shadow Cabinet while she is on maternity leave Credit: Getty Harriet didn’t bother commenting on Claire’s political talents and prowess in Parliament, honed in government and opposition Credit: The Times She said Kemi Badenoch’s decision to promote Claire Coutinho to Shadow Business Secretary in the Tory reshuffle was “woke”. Why? Because Claire is on maternity leave. Mocking the decision on Sky’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Harriet said: “That’s a very woke thing to do . . . I never thought I’d see the day, especially in the Conservative Party.” Yes, you heard that right. It’s now woke to think a pregnant woman is the best person for the job. Harriet didn’t bother commenting on Claire’s political talents and prowess in Parliament, honed in government and opposition. There was not a word on how Claire’s former roles as an investment banker and Treasury adviser would make her the perfect pick for the Business brief. Nor on Claire’s impressive academic pedigree. She has an Oxford degree in maths and philosophy, making her a brain box of the highest order. Nope. Harriet could not see beyond Claire’s sex. For her, the promotion of a pregnant woman was not about merit or who was best for the job. It was just a test of how liberal, progressive and “woke” the party was. Her views are as out of date as the dusty can of beans I’ve got at the back of my kitchen cupboard. They both deserve to be binned. Now, credit where it’s due. Harriet Harman has had a long and very successful political career in the Labour Party. I’ve no doubt she has done important work encouraging women to get involved in politics, and speaking up for them when men were being out of order. She pioneered all-women shortlists for Labour MPs in the 1990s. Personally, I’ve never much liked this idea. It’s always had the whiff of tokenism to me. And no doubt critics would have dismissed them as woke — if such a phrase existed at the time. But I was only a tiny tot when Labour introduced them in the mid-1990s and they were credited with getting way more women into Parliament. Kemi Badenoch’s decision to promote Claire Coutinho has come in for criticism from Harriet Credit: i-Images / Polaris Talking of the current Tory leader, let’s not forget Boris Johnson gave Kemi her first ministerial job when she was eight months pregnant, back in 2019 Credit: Andrew Parsons / Parsons Media That, of course, is a good thing. And having met more than my fair share of prehistoric blokes from the Labour and trade union movement, I’m sure that back in the 1990s the Labour Party was a pretty hostile place to be a woman. The party of Keir Hardie, Clement Attlee and Harold Wilson needed a woman to call out its sexism. But times have changed, and now it’s Harriet Harman’s comments that are out-of-touch and sexist. Now, I could gently point out that the Conservative Party has elected four female leaders, whereas the Labour Party has failed to elect a single one. And when Labour MPs decided Keir Starmer wasn’t up to the job it was only men who were suggested for the top job: Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting, Al Carns. When it comes to the Labour leadership, all-male shortlists are the order of the day. I could also point out that the Tory Party has actually been promoting women on maternity leave for years now. Boris Johnson gave Kemi Badenoch her first ministerial job when she was eight months pregnant, back in 2019. The Tories might say that’s 2-0 to them. But I’m not interested in ruling on which political party is more pro-women. It is not about picking a winner or a loser. Harriet’s comments are wrong because they imply that Claire’s promotion is about tokenism, not talent. They are dismissive and derisory. And they tell us women working in Westminster that we will never be taken as seriously as men. When I first heard about Claire’s promotion I wasn’t surprised at all. Most of us political watchers had tipped her for a big job when the reshuffle came. She is one of the Tory party’s star players and you want her playing upfront, pregnancy or no pregnancy. I’m a woman in politics, although obviously I’m a journalist, not a politician. But if someone suggested I had been given a job because of my gender rather than my talents, I would be spitting blood. I’d go toe to toe with any bloke in my profession, and I know Claire would too. Harriet Harman has spent decades being the self-appointed spokeswoman for women everywhere. She has been judge, jury and executioner when it comes to women’s rights. But Harriet has outed herself as one of the political dinosaurs she used to deride. Maybe it’s time us girls stopped listening to her advice. FAB ’80s CLOTHES RIVAL THE BONKING Rivals has plenty of bonking and even more fabulous ’80s fashion Credit: Hulu I’VE just started watching Rivals on telly – yes, I know I’m behind the times – and my God, there is a lot of bonking in it. It is definitely not a show to watch with the parents. But perhaps the only thing more impressive than the characters’ sexual appetites are their clothes. The women all have big hair, even bigger shoulder pads and a lot of thigh-skimming hemlines. Can we consider bringing back 1980s fashion, please? It’s about time our clothes had a bit of sex appeal again. SILENCE SOUND GOOD At last, a train driver tells TikTok blasters to put their headphones in Credit: Getty THREE cheers for the driver of my train from London to Birmingham for the Reform UK Party conference. He politely asked passengers who wanted to play music or watch videos on their phones to put headphones in. This may sound just like basic common courtesy. But that doesn’t stop most people blaring out whatever TikTok video they are doomscrolling through on full blast. I’m usually against bossy signs and announcements telling people what to do. But a polite request for headphones feels like the only thing standing between us and the death of civilisation. So, thanks, Mr Driver – now let’s roll these announcements out on all public transport. And hope people actually start paying attention to them. GREEN virtue signalling has gone too far. Hotel rooms have stopped having bin liners in their bins. We have to carry paper shopping bags that break with the first spot of rain. And, we are forced to drink through paper straws that dissolve on impact with any liquid. Worse still, they can make the priciest spicy marg taste like cardboard. EL NINO READY… A CABINET minister has told people to stock up on food in case extreme weather disrupts supermarket supplies. Angela Eagle said El Nino storms will pose a danger to Brits, who should prepare for the worst. No problem. I’ve been stocking up for a while now. I’ve got half a pack of cigarettes kept for emergencies. And I’ve got an old bottle of Marsala wine in the drinks cupboard from when I made a trifle once. Those are the ingredients for a pretty good night in, I reckon. ANDY’S WATER WOES Andy Burnham has a bone to pick with Thames Water over No10’s dried-out garden Credit: Getty ANDY BURNHAM had some Labour MPs round to the Downing Street garden for “get to know you” drinks earlier this week – and there was one thing on his mind. The awful state of the garden. My spies tell me the new PM let rip at Thames Water over its summer hosepipe ban. Our Andy apparently pointed to the dried-out lawn and declared how “s**t” Thames Water was, even laying waste to No10’s famous rose garden. It’s true what they say – the Brits really do love their gardens. I USED to think M&S was just somewhere my nan would buy her clobber.No more. It has transformed into a cool clothes label. My TikTok feed is full of Gen Zers revealing their Marks & Spencers clothes haul. And it is tres chic. Social media may just be the saviour of Britain’s high streets. DANGER IS HERE Argentine President Javier Milei’s Falklands attacks show why Britain cannot afford to let its guard down Credit: AFP THE decision to tell the Army to stop war training because of budget pressures is shameful. And Argentine President Javier Milei’s outrageous attacks on the Falkland Islands’ sovereignty highlights just how dangerous that decision is. Britain’s military is the bravest and best in the world. And we owe it to them to provide the best kit and weapons to protect our nation and people. Russia is waging war on Europe. And the Argentine tinpot tyrant is threatening the people of the Falkland Islands. The message to Andy Burnham should be loud and clear. Fund defence now – or face consequences later.