Baroness Harriet Harman, newly appointed as adviser on violence against women and girls to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, has called on candidates in any forthcoming Labour leadership contest to commit to a “radical feminist agenda.” Speaking at the Hay Festival, Harman urged Labour’s female members to leverage the current political instability within the party to advance women’s rights, suggesting that leadership hopefuls, including potential challengers Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting, should all adopt this agenda to avoid losing female support.

Harman expressed dismay at the recent internal turmoil in Labour, which has seen about 100 MPs publicly call for Sir Keir’s resignation following significant losses in local elections. She advocates for women within the party to present “unreasonable” demands as a strategy in leadership contests, contending that competition makes male candidates more likely to acquiesce to feminist priorities. Her position as Starmer’s adviser comes amid ongoing criticism from senior Labour women over issues related to misogyny and institutional culture, sparked notably by controversy surrounding the appointment of Lord Mandelson as British ambassador to the United States despite his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

Several prominent Labour women, including Cabinet ministers Yvette Cooper and Lisa Nandy, have critiqued what they describe as a “boys’ culture” at the centre of government. Jess Phillips resigned as safeguarding minister this month, citing inadequate progress on violence against women and girls, while Alex Davies-Jones stepped down from her role as minister for victims, arguing that government action on misogyny has been insufficient. Harman herself has a long history as a prominent feminist within Labour, having championed equality legislation and criticized past party leadership for sidelining women.

However, this perspective has drawn criticism from some who view Labour’s claims of systemic sexism as overstated or unsubstantiated. Critics point to Britain’s record number of female MPs—currently over 40 percent of the House of Commons—and question whether Labour’s internal struggles are truly rooted in gender bias. Some argue that political success requires resilience and pragmatism irrespective of gender, highlighting that several female leaders in the Conservative Party and other parties have succeeded without framing their careers through a feminist lens.

Detractors also note that the abandonment of all-women shortlists by Labour for the 2024 election reflects legal and practical challenges, suggesting that the party’s focus on gender parity may not be translating effectively into leadership opportunities. They emphasize that competence, rather than gender, should be the primary criterion for political advancement, cautioning against an overreliance on quotas or identity-based selections.

The debate over Labour’s internal culture and future direction reflects broader questions about the role of feminism in politics and the balance between representation and meritocracy. As the party prepares for a potentially contested leadership race, women’s issues are likely to remain a key battleground both rhetorically and in policy commitments.