Sir, – Theresa May is to be congratulated on becoming the new British prime minister. It has taken a woman and a strong one at that, to put the boys back in their box.
In a speech she gave in Birmingham on Monday, launching her national campaign to become leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister (before her rival had conceded), she gave a fascinating account of her political vision for the United Kingdom. Part of that vision was entitled putting people back in control by what she refers to as “cutting out all the political platitudes about ‘stakeholder societies’ – and doing something radical”.
She argues for a major overhaul to the way big business is governed by including customers and employees on company boards. It is worth repeating what she said about this.
“The people who run big businesses are supposed to be accountable to outsiders, to non-executive directors, who are supposed to ask the difficult questions, think about the long -term and defend the interests of shareholders. In practice, they are drawn from the same, narrow social and professional circles as the executive team and – as we have seen time and time again – the scrutiny they provide is just not good enough. So if I’m prime minister, we’re going to change that system.”
Coming from a Tory prime minister, these are indeed radical proposals and will not have gone down well with the City and the elite in UK business and politics.
She therefore deserves all the support that she can muster in what could be a defining period for British capitalism and its role, post-Brexit, in the 21st century. – Yours, etc,
TOM McELLIGOTT,
Listowel,
Co Kerry.
Sir, – Grace Cuddihy should be advised that the reference to the occupation of Theresa May's father that has abounded in the media may have more to do with the modesty of her origins rather than sexism (July 13th). Whereas previous British leaders have had parents who were stockbrokers and barristers, as your letter-writer points out, such professions are already deemed to be part of the socio-economic elite that dominates political life in many countries. That somebody descended from such an elite has achieved high office is probably less than newsworthy.
While Thatcher too may have been categorised as a “grocer’s daughter”, notice how the consummate politician Angela Merkel is not referred to as the daughter of a classically educated schoolteacher and a family accustomed to civic office. – Yours, etc,
CHRISTOPHER
McMAHON,
Castleknock,
Dublin 15.
A chara, – Grace Cuddihy misinterprets the intention behind references to Theresa May as a “vicar’s daughter” and Margaret Thatcher as a “grocer’s daughter”.
The point of these allusions is to highlight the humble beginnings of the women in question, borne not of their gender, but of the relatively modest circumstances of their respective upbringings. This is the reason Tony Blair is rarely described as a “barrister’s son”, while his successor Gordon Brown is sometimes referred to as a “minister’s son”. – Is mise,
Dr GARETH P KEELEY,
Grenoble,
France.
Sir, – Regarding Grace Cuddihy’s displeasure at your description of Theresa May as a “vicar’s daughter”, I don’t know about David Cameron or Tony Blair, but I’ve often seen John Major described as “the son of a circus performer”. – Yours, etc,
PAUL DELANEY,
Dalkey, Co Dublin.
Sir, – Theresa May. Then again she may not. – Yours, etc,
CIARÁN CLANCY,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.