Corbyn ‘would harm’ cause of women in work
FEMALE entrepreneurs will be among those with “the most to lose” from a Jeremy Corbyn government because nationalisation would kill off opportunities for women, Liz Truss will say today.
The minister for women and equalities will warn that after huge advances for female businesswomen under the Tories, Labour would force a return to “the dark ages”.
Ms Truss, who is also the International Trade Secretary, will address more than 500 of the country’s most influential business leaders at The Telegraph’s Women Mean Business Live event in London. She is expected to set out the benefits of a freemarket economy to female entrepreneurs and contrast it with the “victim culture” promoted by Labour.
Ms Truss will also praise the current crop of female “freedom fighters” who have made the case for free trade and the freedom to set up businesses. She will say: “Look at the gains we’ve made over the last 10 years. Since 2011, the number of start-ups that raised equity investment founded by women has almost doubled.
“There are 1.6 million more women in work than there were a decade ago, more women are securing entrepreneurial funding than ever before and we now have shared parental leave, which gives women a choice over when they go back to work after having children.
“This fantastic progress would be wasted if a Labour government got in. We would see a return to the Dark Ages with the ‘brocialism’ of Jeremy Corbyn, because women have the most to lose from a Marxist government. “Nationalising industry and putting more power in the hands of the state would remove their autonomy to put their skills to best use, and their freedom to live and work as they see fit.”
Ms Truss, who served as chief secretary to the Treasury before being moved to trade by Boris Johnson, will also say: “The free market is a liberating force for women. Contrary to what the antiprogress Labour Party would have you believe, women have benefited most
‘We would return to the Dark Ages with the “brocialism” of Corbyn’
from a more free-market economy.
“This election is a choice between freedom and empowerment for women versus the patronising victim culture that the Labour Party wants to promote.
“And it’s fantastic that we’ve got a new generation of Tory female freedom fighters to make the case for free markets, free trade and freedom of the individual.”
Other speakers at the event include Tina Brown, president and chief executive of Tina Brown Live Media; Samantha Cameron, founder of the fashion brand Cefinn; Sadie Frost, actor and film producer; and Meg Mathews, founder of the website Megsmenopause.