Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid)10 March 2021
This is an important debate and I do not wish to silence anyone’s voices. There are important issues at stake here and it is right that that is reflected in the debate.
Like many men—I know that people would say that that is a privileged position—I have frequently spoken about women’s experiences of sexism, misogyny, harassment and abuse. There is no acceptable level of toxic masculinity.
Like everyone on the Justice Committee, I warmly welcome the appointment of the distinguished human rights campaigner Helena Kennedy QC and, more recently, I have commended the strong and talented group of women who were appointed to her working group. There is no doubt that progress in dealing with sexism, misogyny, harassment and abuse has been slow, as we have heard from the previous speakers. However, with this working group, it will gather pace. I want the world to be a better place quicker. I am not sure where some of the contributors get a figure of three years from; perhaps we will hear from the cabinet secretary about that.
However, the misrepresentation that is endemic in much of the discourse around this debate is, at best, disappointing, sometimes mischievous and, on some occasions, simply malicious. Some of the horrendous circumstances that women face, which we have heard about, are already covered by legislation, but we need to look at the concerns that have been highlighted.
However, one might reasonably anticipate the furore that would follow if a male politician such as me said, “Let’s disregard this working group, with its distinguished woman leader. It doesn’t matter that the group’s work, with all these talented women, is under way. I want to put in the legislation what I want at this time, regardless of what they might plan.” Words, tactics and intent are important. As before, I will not support amendments of that nature because, as before, I am not prepared to pre-empt or jeopardise the important work of Dame Helena Kennedy’s group.