Jess Phillips expresses dissatisfaction with government role
Former safeguarding minister Jess Phillips has expressed her discontent with her time in Keir Starmer’s government, stating she “hated” the experience and the struggle to drive effective action on violence against women, reports BritPanorama.
Ms Phillips, who previously managed domestic abuse refuges for Women’s Aid, declared she would not return to a ministerial position merely to “start knocking heads together again.” Her remarks come after she quit as a minister in May, aiming to prompt Starmer’s departure from No 10 and decried his lack of initiative to achieve real progress.
Speaking on Sky’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast, she described her tenure as “deeply unhappy throughout most” of her time in office. Phillips warned that the government was “nowhere near the level of will and commitment it will actually take to halve” violence against women and girls, referring to the targets set out in Labour’s 2024 general election manifesto.
“The Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, if you were to do everything in it, you would probably drop [VAWG] by about 25 percent,” she noted, indicating a significant gap between current efforts and the necessary measures to effect meaningful change.
Frustrated by the lack of commitment from other departments, she reflected on her approach to recognize those who took the issue seriously. “I used to give ‘gold stars’ to ministers in other departments who took the pledge seriously,” she mentioned. However, she acknowledged the challenge of balancing priorities across various governmental areas.
Phillips underscored her commitment to women’s safety, stating, “I have one job, and it is to stop women having to be flexible about their safety.” She firmly rejected the idea of returning to government only to repeat past experiences, asserting, “I won’t go back and do more of the same.” Her comments reflect a broader sense of urgency regarding the need for sustained and serious attention to women’s safety in policy-making.
Despite surviving an earlier challenge to his leadership, Sir Keir Starmer announced his intention to step down earlier this summer, allowing Andy Burnham to position himself as a potential successor in the leadership of the Labour Party. The evolving dynamics within the party highlight ongoing tensions and a quest for direction.
