Jess Phillips Labels Labour Party Sexist Over Absence of Female Leaders

Speaking at the Hay Literary Festival after resigning on 12 May, Labour MP Jess Phillips called the party “a bit sexist” and said “every institution … is led by the patriarchy.” She labelled Labour’s position “terrible and heart-wrenching” and noted that Keir Starmer’s possible candidacy would be a “wild card.”

The Guardian

Labour has never elected a female leader; only Margaret Beckett (1994) and Harriet Harman (2015) have served as acting heads, while Conservatives have had three female prime ministers. On 12 May four ministers, including Jess Phillips, resigned over confidence in Prime Minister Keir Starmer; Wes Streeting resigned two days later. A leadership contest is set, with Andy Burnham running if he wins the Makerfield election on 18 June, and Streeting positioned as a challenger. Angela Rayner, cleared of tax issues, will campaign for Burnham.

The Guardian

• No permanent female leader in UK-wide Labour history.

The Guardian

• Acting female leaders: Margaret Beckett (1994) and Harriet Harman (2015).

The Guardian

• Scottish Labour has been led by Wendy Alexander, Johann Lamont and Kezia Dugdale.

The Guardian

• Welsh Labour was led until this month by Eluned Morgan.

The Guardian

• The Conservative Party has had three female prime ministers.

The Guardian

Phillips’ comments underscore gender representation as a persistent Labour issue, potentially shaping voter attitudes ahead of the leadership vote. The lack of a permanent female leader may limit appeal to women voters and influence internal debates on candidate selection. The upcoming contest could either maintain the status quo or introduce a “wild card” that shifts Labour’s gender dynamics.

The Guardian

Phillips said politics should focus on “the country and the right outcome” rather than gender, and she disputed the idea that a woman leader automatically benefits women, noting she has not observed such an effect in the UK. She also blamed former Prime Minister Liz Truss for a £1,000-monthly mortgage rise and said Keir Starmer’s “good-guy” image had become “throwaway,” reflecting a loss of “decency.” No official Labour response appears in the sources.

The Guardian

• “like all institutions it’s a bit sexist, innit” — Jess Phillips, MP

The Guardian

• “all that should matter to anyone in politics is that you care about the country and the right outcome” — Jess Phillips, MP

The Guardian

• “On the lack of female Labour leaders, Phillips added: “I have to say, the idea that a woman leads and it makes it better for women is not one that I’ve recognised in this country.” — Jess Phillips, MP

The Guardian

• “very, very easy to just slag off the system and the people who are part of it without actually committing to the real solutions” — Jess Phillips, MP

The Guardian

Labour’s summer leadership contest will determine whether a female candidate emerges as a “wild card.” The Makerfield election on 18 June will test Andy Burnham’s candidacy, while Wes Streeting’s positioning may shape the contest’s ideological balance. Observers will watch for any formal Labour response to Phillips’ sexism claims.

The Guardian