Quotas

In their efforts to make society fairer the left came up with a few ideas, such as removing all competition from schools, multiculturalism, diversity and equality. They got it wrong of course mostly because they approached it in the socialist way. So they left us with failing schools, unfit pupils, no go areas in our cities, various pressure groups determined that they should be first among equals and generally destroying society from the inside out. Some might think that was their plan, but considering their competence I doubt it, more like an unexpected outcome.
However they're still at it as witness this article in the Telegraph.

Harriet Harman, Labour's acting leader, has called for half of the party's shadow cabinet to be made up of women. 

Miss Harman said she wanted the rules revised for shadow cabinet elections to make sure there was a 50-50 split between men and women.

''It's time for Labour women to step out of the shadows,'' she told the national conference of Unite in Manchester.
Miss Harman told delegates Labour now had 81 women MPs, more than all the other parties put together.
''Labour is the only party in parliament which speaks up for women in this country. We have some excellent experienced women and some brilliant new women MPs.
''We still do have twice as many men MPs as women. The Labour men are great - but they are not twice as good as the women.''
The acting leader said rebuilding and renewing Labour following the election defeat was an important task, stressing that the party must ''listen and learn''.
She continued: ''Our biggest loss of support was from hard-working families who, worried about housing and jobs, felt insecure and concerned about immigration.
''Now there is our chance to debate these issues throughout the party and through the contest for the next Labour leader.''

Now I know women outnumber men 51% of the population is female and I've no doubt that some of them would be very very good at running the country assuming they could be arsed of course. Politics does not seem to attract women in great numbers though, I suspect it's because they have more common sense than men. Yes they're prepared to vote to choose or remove incompetents from government via elections, but anyone who watches PM's question time and the various donkey noises going on in the background would soon be put off. However Harman is falling for the usual socialist bullshit in equating quotas as being fair. Most people understand fairness, however most people would want someone competent to run the country rather than someone who simply ticks all the boxes. New Labour were prime examples of that sort of failure, where dogma trumped ability every time.
So if Harman gets her way, 50% of the shadow cabinet will be women, they might be brilliant at it, I have my doubts though, it may just be that the whole thing is tokenism gone mad and that far better qualified or able people get passed over in the process simply for being the wrong gender, still it's a good way for Labour to store up future trouble for themselves so I guess I'm all for them doing it.

Those who seek quotas should remember that equality cuts both ways and that 50% of the population are actually below average intelligence.