Mims Davies: Labour’s mismanagement of the economy means it’s no longer working for too many women

Mims Davies MP is the Shadow Minister for Women.

Not a single day has gone by since July 2024 where the Labour government has not wreaked havoc on our nation’s finances and stability, which is why I, like millions of others, partially resent turning on the news in fear of hearing the latest damage to be inflicted upon us.

All of this has occurred most shockingly against a back drop of not putting women and girls’ rights front and centre.

Labour have proved since taking office they wanted women’s votes and not their voices in Government as they have failed to act on their promises to over 50 per cent of the electorate.

And two months ago was no exception where the country gulped nervously after hearing of the Labour Government imposing a diktat, forcing all civil service interns to be from “working class” backgrounds. The government will use parental occupation to determine whether a child qualifies or not.

There has even been an assembled list outlining banned occupations, ranging from teachers and nurses to garage owners to musicians; yet, bizarrely, an £80,000-a-year train-driving parent’s child is eligible – if you can work out the logic to that, folks, please pop it on a postcard.

Let me be clear: your postcode should certainly never define your future and I’m so proud that my Party – the Conservative and Unionist Party – is the true political party of meritocracy.

Frankly, we Conservatives do not give a hoot about a person’s gender, sexuality or whatever. All we are interested in is ability and creating the right conditions to allow a person’s potential to be unleashed.

As the Shadow Minister for Women, I fear this policy will act as a real deterrent to young girls across our country, many of whom are immensely talented but need to be encouraged to enter politics and the civil service.

But the current situation has become worse: the government’s long list of damaging policies has now created an economy which is failing miserably and no longer works for women, of all ages.

At present, the British economy is in absolute tatters, borrowing is out of control and the Labour government has to, after the appalling antics concerning the Welfare Bill, somehow now find an additional £5 billion in savings in just this parliament alone. Good luck to them…

Amidst all of the daily chaos, the ONS recently revealed a skyrocket in the number of unemployed women across the country, rising an eyewatering 100,000 between February 2024 to April 2025 meaning a total of 770,000 women now do not have a job.

It has become abundantly clear women are outrageously bearing the brunt of Labour’s economic recklessness and vandalism at all levels.

Granted, a general lack of economic opportunities for women have existed for many decades but, unlike the current Labour Government which has sat on its hands, I’m proud of the last Conservative Government’s tremendous efforts in moving heaven and earth to ensure women’s true potential was unleashed.

When we Conservatives first came into power in 2010 the number of women in employment increased from 13 million to (roughly) 16 million by the time we left office last year.

Our flagship policy of introducing 30 hours of free childcare per week for children from 9 months to four years removed a burdensome obstacle from women, allowing them to pursue their ambitions.

We also ensured half a million women going through the menopause had access to cheaper hormone replacement therapy to help with symptoms, ensuring we stuck to the plan set out in our women’s health strategy in 2022.

British history has demonstrated time and again when women are empowered, they certainly leave a footprint, need I mention the gargantuan legacy left by Lady Thatcher…

What we did was uniquely Conservative and my Party should never shy away from all the hard work we undertook to help put women on the front foot.

But the new toxic combination of ineptitude and utter stupidity, which now surrounds the halls of No 10 and 11, is a major threat facing too many women both in the workplace and in our communities.

This Labour Government has missed each self-imposed deadline on their strategy to prevent violence against women and girls, and deliver on tackling the grooming gangs as they have committed to. False promises of action and showing a lack of importance.

It’s also reported their Minister for Women and Equalities is putting her own career opportunities ahead of women’s rights in delaying trans guidance, where conveniently for her, she is alleged to be pushing back the publication of a much-awaited code on single-sex spaces until after the results of the Labour Deputy Leadership election which she is running in – to maximise her appeal to all factions on the backbenches. This is disappointing, if not surprising, and women and girls will not forget this continued lack of action and interest. This government needs to find a way to protect very small minorities and answer the calls from women and girls for a focus and proper delivery on their safety and security.

The short-sighted decision to hike national insurance has undoubtedly made businesses weaker and poorer, inevitably leading to mass redundancies as well as a lack of fresh of opportunities. These actions directly hike fees, such as in nurseries, all of which will prevent women getting and staying in the workplace.

After bringing the economy to its knees, wealth creators are now fleeing the country to escape Labour’s punitive tax regime, resulting in less economic opportunities for women because potential investment will be made elsewhere worldwide.

Any sensible and credible government would be swiftly identifying and proceeding to tear down barriers to entering employment, not erecting as many as possible to hinder this goal.

Only the Conservatives have a proven track record of championing women in the workplace and ensuring their best interests are always put first.