FEMALE politicians have been grabbing the headlines around the world of late, as first Hillary Clinton and now Sarah Palin dominate the race for the White House.

The consummate Democratic manipulator and Senator for New York, and the formidable frontiers-woman and moose-shooting Governor of Alaska have respectively smashed Washington’s glass ceiling. No matter whether Barack Obama or John McCain eventually move into the West Wing, one administration soon there will be a female incumbent of the most powerful political office in the world
– with a First Gentleman in her tow.

There is only one election being held this year that matters, and it isn’t taking place in Jersey. In the same week as the Deputies’ elections roadshow swings into action, the eyes of the world will be focused on America as the first black presidential hopeful goes head to head with a decorated Vietnam war hero. Yet this momentous battle is being overshadowed by the emergence of ‘woman power’ in state upon state of the American union.

The Presidential race is very much a woman’s election, and not just because of Clinton and Palin and, to a lesser extent, Michelle Obama. All three are capable and intelligent women who epitomise, in their very different ways and upbringing, the American Dream that you can start from nothing and reach the top.

As the ‘ladies who stand’ move onwards and upwards, transforming American politics for ever, political parties in the UK, Europe and elsewhere in the free democracies engineer women-only shortlists to redress the male/female legislative divide. So, how come only one woman is standing in the Jersey Senatorial elections?

A decade ago, inspired by the success of women candidates in Tony Blair’s first landslide victory (‘Blair’s Babes’), I joined forces with a group of women to encourage our peers to stand for the States. Not wishing to discriminate against men, our group, Profile in Politics (PIP) was not gender-specific. We agreed on many things, but the most important guiding principle of PIP was to see the best person elected for the job of governing Jersey in the new Millennium.

We organised a series of workshops to inform those considering standing for political office about Jersey politics, the Island’s system of government and its workings and practices. Ironically, PIP produced just one women Member, though a handful of the male ‘students’ stood successfully and still hold seats (well, for a few weeks at least) on the Senatorial and Deputies benches.

The overwhelming ratio of 20–1 Senatorial candidates, and 42 men to 11 women Members in the outgoing House, is not a true reflection of the vital role women play in almost every walk of Island life. Well, maybe not the construction industry and deep-water fishing, but the ladies do outnumber the chaps in private education and health jobs.

Women account for nearly half the working population; if we showed as little interest in working as we do in standing for the States, our economy would collapse. Since 1866, the UK Fawcett Society has campaigned for equality between women and men on pay, pensions, justice and politics. It recently published papers on why it is important for there to be more women in politics, and why there are not. Fawcett summarises the argument for an increase in female representation under the title The Four Ss:
• Symbolism:In order for a democratic parliament to be seen as legitimate, women, who account for nearly half the population, should be represented in equal numbers to men.
• Substance: As women have different experiences and priorities from men, they will change the political agenda.
• Style: Women, by nature (Margaret Thatcher, the UK’s first and only woman premier, was the exception to the rule) are less adversarial and confrontational, preferring consensus.
• Sense: More women turn out to vote when women stand for election.

Fawcett gives reasons why so few women seek political office under the Four Cs list:
• Culture: The culture of politics does not support women, who are put off by the confrontational behaviour of men.
• Childcare: Women are more likely to have caring roles for children and other family members, so juggling these responsibilities with the demands of political office is a big deterrent.
• Cash: Fawcett argues that as women traditionally earn less than men, they do not have the financial resources to run for office. (This argument could
be reversed in Jersey, where many high-fliers
would have to take a cut in pay to become a States Member.)
• Confidence: Many women lack the confidence to stand, to put their opinions and beliefs on the line.

Since Jersey’s first woman politician, Ivy Forster, was elected as a Deputy in St Helier No 2 in 1948, some very strong-minded and competent women have graced the House. Conversely, there have been as many ineffectual one-term wonders and limpets, not doing much but sticking in office. And that applies to male politicians as well.
There are hundreds of women in Jersey capable and qualified to do a better, more effective and efficient job of governing our Island than most of the current inmates of Charlie Chuckle’s Laughter Factory. So why don’t they stand?

If competent, organised women possess one redeeming feature, it is the inability to suffer fools gladly and waste precious time and scarce resources – except when it comes to shopping for shoes, frequenting coffee shops and indulging in the highest-quality Belgian chocolate.

Faced with day upon day sitting on a hard bench listening to Member after Member droning on ad infinitum about something they really should know more about, I know what I’d rather be doing. The most important question is not why aren’t more women standing; it should be why don’t more dynamic and charismatic Islanders – women and men – stand for election? Good government is not about quotas and gender politics, it is about possessing the vision, the confidence, conviction and self-belief to do what is right, no matter how the public reacts.

Politicians who lack those essential qualities of leadership, who dither, make U-turns and waste time and money don’t deserve to be in office.