No. Mrs Beckett, It’s Because You’re Crap
Beckett hits back at ‘sexist’ attack on her softly, softly diplomacy
Gaby Hinsliff, political editor
Sunday August 6, 2006
The ObserverMargaret Beckett last night rounded on ‘spiteful’ criticism of her performance as Foreign Secretary, suggesting she had been patronised because she was a woman.
The cabinet veteran also disclosed that she employs her husband as an unpaid adviser, following sniping over everything from his reported habit of ‘hanging around’ her office to her failure to visit Middle East troublespots. And in her first detailed response yesterday to the criticism, she pointedly told The Observer that her predecessor Jack Straw – who broke ranks by criticising Israel’s military tactics – faced an even worse drubbing when he started. More here…
Accusations of sexism, in this instance, are the last refuge of the incompetent.
Beckett (and don’t forget the ‘Mrs’, heaven forbid anyone might accuse of her of being unmarried) was put in the post precisely becuuse she has no foreign affairs expertise other than a few EU negotiations and no military knowledge either and so would be easily biddable to Blair and Bush – especially important as their insane Middle East policy goes against the FO’s own advice. Beckett’s never been able to stand up to Tony Blair. That leaves him with complete personal control over foreign diplomacy. And what a great sucess that’s been.
Can you imagine Condoleza Rice popping off to tour Yellowstone in a Winnebago for two weeks in the middle of a war?
Our Foreign Secretary swanned off to France yesterday in a bloody caravan, like a suburban housewife in a pinny. But not many suburban csravanners have Special Branch officers following on behind in peformance cars. France seems appropriate – Marie Antoinette liked to play at being a little person and that’s exactly what Beckett’s doing with her caravan holiday. Otherwise, she’s been the biggest user of taxpayer-funded air travel in the Cabinet, using planes and helicopters even for trivial trips. Humble she ain’t when the cameras aren’t looking.
If there’s any sexism against her – as opposed to justified criticism of her ineffectuality – Beckett is the one inviting it when she perpetuates the ‘little woman doing a Big Man’s Job’ stereotype, by parading her marriage and domestic life and pretending working class humility in public every chance she gets.
That says to the world that she’s a little woman who can’t do anything without her husband’s say-so. A neat metaphor for the US/UK special relationship – as above, so below, so to speak.
Feminism, UK Politics, War On Lebanon UK Parliament, UK Foreign Policy
