Critique of Channel 4

My post today would get me into serious trouble at many work places and on many organs less liberal than the Rust.  

Channel 4’s board has criticised itself for its own lack of female representation. This has set me thinking about the achievements of women in high political office or commerce over the last year.

Exactly a year ago Jacinda Ardern resigned as PM of New Zealand as she could no longer take the pressure.

She was hailed as a leader who coped with the demands of the pandemic better than most of her male counterparts even though New Zealand has a population of less than 5 million and is scarcely a hub.

The following month the police investigated alleged improper use of donations to the Scottish National Party by Nicola Sturgeon and her husband.

More recently we have had the scandal of Lady Mone who, using her political contacts, dumped useless PPE equipment on the UK Government and  made a  huge profit which passed via trusts to her children.

The very latest is Paula Vennells,  chief executive of Royal Mail, who oversaw the Horizon IT scandal which led to wrongful imprisonment of many post masters and mistresses – and incidentally it took a television drama (Mr Bates vs the Post Office: The Real Story) – not a court of law – to promote their cause.

My late father would have been 100 today.

I can recall a conversation he had with my forceful mother, who ended it with her words: “Your problem is you can’t take criticism“.

A mischievous smile played on my father’s face – the smile of one who has a better hand – and he countered with “And who criticises the women?!”