Today’s news that Nigel Farage is stepping down as UKIP leader raises the prospect that he might be succeeded by a woman. Suzanne Evans and Diane James are both considered possible replacements – the latter in particular.
Thank you to all my supporters in @UKIP and beyond. Delighted with the result we fought for so long to achieve. #BrexitBritain
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) July 4, 2016
If a woman were to become UKIP leader, this would only be following the trend now firmly established in British politics.
The next Tory leader is highly likely to be a woman as well – it’ll definitely be a toss up between Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom, according to one (male) Tory MP and committed Leadsom supporter Heat Street spoke to today.
His thesis, incidentally, is that Gove is too close politically to George Osborne to make it to the final shortlist of two. “Leadsom is not part of the establishment, and that is very appealing,” he said.
Elsewhere, Angela Eagle is once again understood to be sharpening her claws to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader this week.
The Green Party is run by Natalie Bennett.
In Wales, Plaid Cymru’s leader is Leanne Wood. In Scotland, the SNP has Nicola Sturgeon. Ruth Davidson rules the Scottish Tories and Kezia Dugdale is in charge of the Scottish Labour Party.
With the exception of Northern Irish politics, this would leave Tim Farron, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, as the only mainstream national party leader who is not a woman.
Indeed, the Lib Dems are now so depleted in parliamentary terms, that they could field only half a 15-a-side rugby team. They have a mere eight MPs.
And none of them are women.
Farron might want to watch this Two Ronnies film from 1980. The comedians said women would take over Britain by 2012, with the Union Jack renamed the Union Jill.
They were only four years out…
