International Women’s Day is not only an opportunity to celebrate the economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It must be a call for action to accelerate gender parity and shine a light on places not doing enough.
Which brings us to the capital. A damning report by the Treasury Committee finds that sexists and bullies in the City of London are operating with “impunity”, with efforts to tackle misogyny moving “at a snail’s pace”. During the inquiry, MPs were told how non-disclosure agreements in the sector were being misused to “cover up” abuse, sexual harassment and discrimination. As a result, victims are silenced and perpetrators are left unpunished.
The committee notes that there have been “incremental improvements” since 2018 — these include a marginal rise in the representation of women in senior positions and a slight fall in the average gender pay gap — but this is far too slow.
The City is one of our greatest assets. Yet it’s true potential cannot be realised unless all the talent available is unleashed. From stronger protections for whistleblowers in sexual harassment cases to more stringent gender pay gap reporting, the City and financial services have a long way to go in tackling sexism and misogyny.
Tireless service
The longest-serving home secretary in decades, the original Tory moderniser and a leader for women’s equality — Theresa May will be remembered for far more than her three years as prime minister.
And now, after 27 years in the Commons, May is to stand down at the next election. She becomes the latest in a string of Conservative names, big and small, to announce they will be leaving Parliament.
As a former PM, May has excelled, neither cutting and running nor seeking vengeance — merely offering the unique and valuable experience that only former leaders possess. Regardless of party affiliation, we ought to thank May for her dedication and service to this country.
Fare play
Tube and train passengers are not just commuters today — they are also guinea pigs. All fares within Greater London were charged at off-peak rates today as part of a three-month trial to see whether discounts will attract more workers back to the office on Fridays.
At a cost of £24 million, City Hall will be keen that the initiative boosts passenger numbers, rather than encouraging commuters to switch their days in the office. Still, the Mayor deserves credit for trying. Latest figures show that Tube travel is at 86 per cent of pre-pandemic levels on Thursdays but only 78 per cent on Fridays. If the latter can rise, the benefit to the capital’s hospitality, entertainment and leisure businesses will be worth the investment.v
