White male ministers are at risk of being shafted, to make way for black and ethnic minority as well as female MPs, Tory MP Philip Davies has claimed, warning that white, male MPs could be “hoofed out” to make way for minorities.
UK PM Theresa May’s cabinet reshuffle, broadly considered as chaotic, has caused “legitimate concern” among white male MPs that they will be overlooked “because they are a white male,” Davies told the Telegraph.
The Shipley MP continued: “Time will tell as to whether these people have got their jobs on merit or whether they have got them on tokenism.
“It certainly does not do anyone any favours to promote people who are not ready for promotion just because of their gender or race. But obviously any self-respecting Conservative would say that all jobs should be given on merit and we should be blind to people’s gender, race or religion.”
Davies’ partner, Tatton MP Esther McVey, was made Work and Pensions secretary in the reshuffle.
Davies has a history of anti-feminist sentiments. In November, the outspoken MP said he was being bullied by “militant feminists.”
“It is fair to say that I am often pilloried for arguing that men and women should be treated equally,” he said. “I do not see that there is anything particularly controversial in that, but it never ceases to amaze me how often I am accused of being a misogynist, sexist, or some other term of abuse, merely for saying that men and women should be treated equally before the law.”
In 2016, the Shipley MP said that “feminist zealots really do want women to have their cake and eat it” in their mission for equality. Later that year, he was elected to the Equalities Committee.