The fact that UKIP has one MP after landing 3.9 million votes, and the SNP 56 MPs (out of a possible 59) after landing far fewer votes is outrageous in democratic terms. But I’d like to point to another angle, which I haven’t seen covered by anyone.
The Wikipedia page on the SNP makes for interesting reading. I was particularly struck by this line:
In its economic and welfare state policies, the party has in recent years adopted a markedly feminist profile, influenced by thinkers such as Ailsa McKay.
Echoing this, one of Nicola Sturgeon’s initial actions as First Minister was to appoint a gender-balanced cabinet. What of the late feminist economist Ailsa McKay – she died last year – whose Wikipedia profile is here? From the profile page, referring to a time before Nicola Sturgeon succeeded Alex Salmond as First Minister:
First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond praised McKay’s “astonishing contribution as a feminist economist, both in arguing the case for women into work, and in being the principal author and arguer for many years for the transformation of childcare that will make that possible,” while Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described her as “an inspirational economist and feminist”.
Also in Ms McKay’s profile, Alex Salmond said this:
My regret is this, that I didn’t take forward Ailsa’s policies in my first ministerial stage.
Neither Salmond nor Sturgeon have children.
Both the SNP and the Labour party are radical feminist parties to their core. The SNP, through its success at the general election, taking many Labour seats, has gifted the Conservatives a majority government. What a delicious irony.
