Backlash as Liz Truss removes ‘women’ from equalities job title and appoints man to role

‘They have restructured the government department and at best downgraded the importance of women’s equalities,’ says Labour MP

Liz Truss’s government has been accused of “erasing women from the equalities agenda” after the word “women” was removed from the title of a ministerial role – and the job given to a man.

Nadhim Zahawi, who served as chancellor between July and September, was appointed equalities minister on Tuesday as part of the new prime minister’s revamped cabinet.

The role was previously titled “women and equalities minister”. The change has led some to suggest that the importance of women’s issues at the Government Equalities Office has been “downgraded”.

Ex-chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has been appointed equalities minister (PA)

Kate Osborne, a Labour MP who sits on the women and equalities committee, said: “At present, Nadhim Zahawi is the head of the equalities ministry, even if they appoint a women’s minister, they will be more junior than him.

“They have restructured the government department and at best downgraded the importance of women’s equalities.”

The MP for Jarrow chaired Wednesday’s session of the committee – which focuses on attitudes toward women and girls in educational settings.

“It may be the last committee with this name as the new prime minister has appointed a minister for equalities – dropping women from the portfolio,” she said.

“Women still face huge issues with sexism and misogyny – not just today's discussion on attitudes to women and girls, but the gender pay gap, gender health inequalities, maternity pay, menopause at work, violence against women, a huge drop in prosecutions for domestic abuse and many more inequalities that need to be addressed.”

Kate Osborne raised concerns while chairing the women and equalities committee (PA)

She stated “women’s rights and equalities must remain at the forefront of the work we do” – adding: “We cannot allow this government to erase women from the equalities agenda.”

The name of the ministerial role has changed six times since it was introduced by Tony Blair in 1997.

It was initially minister for women and then minister for women and equality in 2007, followed by minister for women and equalities in 2010.

In April 2014 it was divided into two roles, minister for women, with Nicky Morgan in the post, and minister for equalities, filled by Sajid Javid.

Just three months later, the two roles became one role again, minister for women and equalities, and stayed that way until this week’s change.

Mandu Reid, leader of the Women's Equality Party, condemned the appointment of Mr Zahawi as she warned the “decision to remove women from the equalities brief is a clear indication of how Liz Truss will prioritise women – which is not at all.”

Liz Truss is the UK’s third female PM (PA)

She said: “Although I firmly believe that women's equality is something that must be at the core of all government work – not just siloed in a portfolio role – the fact remains that there is now no minister responsible for protecting and promoting the rights of women across every aspect of government, and that is very troubling.”

Ms Mandu warned that the cost of living crisis is “gendered”, pointing to “staggering childcare costs, rising rates of violence against women and increasing poverty, which disproportionately impacts women”.

She said that the government had “completely failed to provide gendered solutions”.

“Women simply aren't a priority, and I urge the new prime minister to prove me wrong,” she added.

Jemima Olchawski, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, the UK’s leading gender equality charity, said: “We have a long way to go before this government really addresses deep-seated gender inequalities that harm and hold back women. Now is not the time to be de-prioritising our needs.”

Nicky Morgan previously held a version of the equalities minister role

Vivienne Hayes, chief executive of the Women’s Resource Centre, the leading national umbrella organisation for the women’s sector, said the new appointment “signals to women that our rights and protection are not a priority and, given we are over half the population, this is dismal and shocking”.

“Because they have removed the title of women in the role and put a man [in the role] suggests very strongly women’s needs are not going to be considered,” Ms Hayes said.

“Women are always an afterthought for the Tories. Erasing the role for women in cabinet confirms it.”

The move comes after The Independent reported that women have been left “brutally exposed” to the cost of living crisis after being disproportionately hit by surging poverty levels in the last decade.

Researchers said more than 7.5 million women – a quarter of the female population – are living in relative poverty in the UK.

The prime minister’s spokesperson indicated that there were no plans to appoint a separate minister for women, and that Mr Zahawi would retain responsibility for that area of policy.

They said: “The equalities brief hasn’t changed. You have heard the prime minister on the campaign trail talking about her focus on women’s rights and her desire to create a national domestic abuse register.

“The title has been changed slightly. I believe that it is the actions which the government takes on which it will be judged, rather than the job titles of individuals. The policy areas for which they have responsibility haven’t changed.”