Even women we don’t like can have it Priti hard
on-camera resignation speech accusing her of involvement in a “vicious and orchestrated” briefing campaign against him.
Rutnam earned £175,000 – more than the PM – and has left with a whopping great pension with which to pursue his case for “constructive dismissal”.
A public schoolboy and Cambridge graduate, he was known as Sir Calamity as he was involved in a number of disasters himself, including the failure of civil servants to properly brief a previous female home secretary – Amber Rudd – on the Windrush scandal.
It cost Rudd her job but Rutnam didn’t see fit to resign then, publicly or quietly.
Patel may be out of her depth, she may be a terrible irritant, she may be gobby and bolshy and get right up the nose – but show me a male Tory minister who’s not. It’s expected of them. It’s valued, even. Always has been.
Yet suddenly it’s open season on the woman. Rumour is her career is finished. She’s being judged differently.
Remember what happened to that incompetent, offensive, male foreign minister who blundered round the world making gaffes, including one that left British woman Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe facing even longer imprisonment in an Iranian jail?
Yes, that’s right. He became Prime Minister.
International Women’s Day encourages us to look at the experience of females a bit differently, even those who are magnets for criticism.
So to Meghan Markle: We don’t believe you’ve cruelly stolen our Prince Harry away, because he’s his own man and knows his own mind.
To Carrie Symonds: The fact you’re having a baby with a man who’s not clear how many kids he has already reflects badly on him, not you.
And to the Duchess of Cambridge: We’re sorry you have to wear all-green outfits when visiting the Emerald Isle, like a walking cliche. Make William dress like a leprechaun next time.
Happy International Women’s Day to all friends… and not-such-friends too. We’re all in this together.