Harriet Harman’s pink battle bus rolled up outside Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre at 2pm yesterday.

As if to confirm the stereotyping, on the journey over from Asda, half a mile away, its female driver had stalled the vehicle.

On board the ‘Woman to Woman’ bus with Miss Harman were fellow Labour MPs Gloria De Piero and Caroline Flint and an assortment of other staff – all women, naturally.

A crowd of women – members of the local Labour party, wearing pink Woman to Woman stickers – cheered the bus as it pulled up.

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Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman today unveiled the pink, 16-seat minibus in Stevenage ahead of its tour 70 marginal seats in the run-up to the election

Asda shopper Bobby Smith interrupted a discussion in the store's cafe to tell Ms Harman: 'You're dividing up men and women'

Mr Smith demanded to know if Labour was planning to also have a blue man to appeal to male voters

This was the grand launch of Miss Harman’s pre-election Woman to Woman campaign. She will be touring the country in the pink bus to more than 70 key marginal seats to persuade women voters to back Labour.

Issues Miss Harman was eager to talk about included child care for working mothers and equal pay. But there was only one thing anybody wanted to talk about – the colour of the bus.

What had possessed this gender neutral politician, aka Harriet Harperson, to get it painted pink? A full-blown bubble-gum Barbie pink at that?

The slogan, Woman to Woman, which has the ring of a sanitary towel logo about it, was dreamt up by Miss De Piero.

For yesterday’s launch, Miss Harman, deputy leader of the Labour party, was full of enthusiasm. Pink was the new red. But, as things turned out, it was a trying day.

At the bus’s first port of call yesterday, Asda in Stevenage, a man called Bobby Smith accused Miss Harman of ‘demonising men’.

The 32-year-old HGV driver added: ‘You’re making it them versus us. Are you going to be getting a blue van for men?’ By lunchtime Miss Harman was trying to pass off the bus as magenta, which nobody was buying.

Shortly before 2pm, the bus made its way to the arts centre for the official launch but driver Caroline Adams, a member of the Unite union, stalled the vehicle en route. Minutes after arrival, there was more embarrassment as a couple complained the bus was blocking their way out of the car park.

Miss Harman valiantly continued with a series of earnest broadcast interviews. As any politician worth their salt does when posed a difficult question, she sidestepped it.

Asked whether the bus was pink or cerise or magenta, she said: ‘Well, it’s eye catching. Quite a small bus but a very big issue.’ Pressed about the choice of colour, she added: ‘Well we were never going to have a blue bus because that’s the Tory colour.’

Around half of women believe politicians do not understand what life is like for them, polling has found. Some 48 per cent feel that none of the main party leaders empathise with their needs, compared to 41 per cent of men. According to the research by TNS for BBC Radio 4, only one in ten women believe that David Cameron best understands their daily life, while 12 per cent said the same about Ed Miliband. The poll also found that 31 per cent of men are concerned about the economy, compared to one in five women. Advertisement

She was struggling. Just as it couldn’t get any worse, Mr Smith, the heckler at Asda returned, this time in a T-shirt with the slogan ‘This is what a victim of feminism looks like’ and waving a pink banner. ‘You don’t want to see men with pink,’ he shouted to Miss Harman.

Retired chef Claire Pirie, 76, said: ‘It’s a load of rubbish. Why is it pink? Why isn’t it red? That won’t help them win the election.’ Kirsty Morgan, a 29-year-old carer, said she liked the colour pink but warned that using it to court female voters ‘could be a bit sexist’.

Nicola Dinnage from Stevenage, said: ‘I think it’s silly and I think it’s patronising.’ Her sister, Kirsty Dinnage, added: 'Them using a pink bus wouldn't make me vote.'

Beverley Gould from Knebworth said it is 'very patronising', adding that she does not think the pink bus will make any difference to female voting numbers.

Other shoppers disagreed, with Beb Metcalfe, from Welwyn, saying the colour of the bus 'doesn't matter'. And a man’s view? Taxi driver Kevin Godfrey, 54, said: ‘It’s a Barbie bus. It’s a bit desperate. It should be for everyone, not just women.’

The Labour bus has sparked a storm of criticism, and has been repeatedly likened to a Barbie vehicle

Ms Harman posed in front of the van with Labour MPs including (left to right) Sharon Hodgson, Gloria de Piero, Caroline Flint and Lucy Powell

Ms Harman chatted with shoppers in the Stevenage branch of Asda, but many felt the van was patronising

Store manager Sally Duckering escorted Harriet Harman (second right) and Gloria De Piero (second left) around Stevenage ASDA today

The deputy Labour leader handed out the party's 'women-to-women' fliers on the first day of her campaign aimed at winning over female voters

PARKING PROBLEM? LABOUR VAN NEEDS HELP TO FIND A SPACE The Labour pink bus was spotted trying to find a space at a shopping centre in Stevenage Labour's pink bus was unveiled at an Asda store in Stevenage today, but seemed to have problems negotiating the car park. Aides were seem trying to direct the vehicle into a parking space. And later it appeared to have been parked across a zebra crossing, blocking the path ofr pedestrians. Advertisement

Ahead of the bus's official unveiling in Stevenage today, Ms Harman said that 'ultimately' the colour choice was hers it had to be 'eye-catching' because there is a 'big hole in our democratic politics at the moment'.

But the idea has attracted scorn from opponents and campaigners who say it is patronising to assume women will only be interested in politics if it is wrapped up in pink.

It is also embarrassing because Labour MPs are among those who have accused firms of 'aggressive gender segregation' by dictating pink for girls and blue for boys.

Ms Harman revealed said there had been 'doctrinal discussions' before the launch of the women's campaign over whether the bus's driver - provided by Labour's biggest union funder - should be a woman.

'Unite has provided us with a driver and blow me down they've managed to find a woman with one of these licences,' she told the Huffington Post.

'We've had lots of doctrinal discussions, such as: should we be all right with a male driver?'

Asked whether the choice of pink for the bus's colour was 'patronising', Ms Harman said: 'Well it doesn't have big eyelashes on the front. We don't care. Actually it's got to look like itself. Because it's new; it's different.'

She insisted that the bus would help to address political disengagement among women.

Senior Labour MPs tried to defend the colour, insisting it was actually 'magenta' and had been used at party conferences in the past.

A Labour source joked: 'We modelled it on the colour that David Cameron's face goes when he gets cross during Prime Minister's Question time.'

But the Prime Minister mocked the bus in the Commons: 'What Britain's families need to get on most of all is the security of a good school place, and we are providing them, the security of a good job, and we are providing them, and the security of a safe community, and we are providing them.

'I have to say Labour's campaign - I would say the wheels are falling off the wagon but I think the wheels are falling off the bus.

'We now know it is not going to be driven by anyone on the front bench, surprise, surprise it is going to be driven by Unite.'

HOW THE PINK PERIL BECAME A LAUGHING STOCK ON THE INTERNET The launch of Labour’s Woman to Woman bus left internet bloggers tickled pink – as the web buzzed with a host of jokes and parodies. One mocked-up an image of deputy leader Harriet Harman, along with MPs Gloria De Piero and Lucy Powell, in a spoof advert for women’s car insurer Sheilas’ Wheels. The pink theme was also likened to the 2001 film Legally Blonde in a mock film poster declaring: ‘Reese Witherspoon Votes Labour this summer.’ But one less humorous posting referred to the child grooming scandal which has hit Labour-run Rotherham Council. It showed the back of the bus emblazoned with Miss Harman’s face and the large slogan ‘Labour looking after women’. Attached to an asterisk underneath, the caption adds: ‘Like we did in Rotherham.’ Critics also say the pink obsession makes it look like something from an advert for women-only insurance firm Shelia's Wheels Twitter parody account mocked up Harriet Harmnan, Glora de Piero and Lucy Powell in a Shelia's Wheels ad This mocked up photo refers to the child abuse scandal in Labour-run Rotherham where young girls were repeatedly groomed The use of a pink van sparked comparisons to when Labour frontbencher Emily Thornberry was accused of sneering after she tweeted a picture of a white van outside a house with England flags hanging from the women. Last week shadow education spokesman Tristram Hunt got into hot water after appearing to criticise nuns as teachers After a difficult week of criticism from business leaders who used to back Labour, Ed Miliband might be glad to have the support of Barbie The pink obsession was likened to the Reese Witherspoon film Legally Blonde in this mock film poster Labour MPs have previously complained about the way toys marketed at girls are only available in pink Some suggested the pink bus was like the car used by Penelope Pitstop in Wacky Races Ms Harman insisted that the colour was 'magenta' because she wanted the Labour bus to be 'eye-catching' Advertisement

But Ms Harman risked another gaffe after appearing to suggest childcare is a concern primarily for women, despite Labour's spokesman on the issue, Alison McGovern, insisting: 'It does no service at all to childcare to wedge it into a pigeonhole of being a women's issue.'

Speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain, Ms Harman said: 'We just wanted an eye catching colour. The reason why it has to be eye-catching is because there is a big hole in our democratic politics at the moment.'

She claimed 9.1million women did not vote in the general election in 2010 'because they just don't think that politicians have got any interest in their lives or understand their lives or have got anything to offer to them'.

She added: 'In this general election we think it's important that women do think that they have got a chance to have a say and this election is about their future and their daughters and their granddaughters' future.'

Challenged about the fact that 'everyone's talking about the colour of the bus', Ms Harman was asked who chose pink.

She replied: 'Well I suppose I signed it off ultimately but that's the colour.

'But actually if you look at what it's about… Politics is too important just to be left to only men voting.

'Actually although lots of people are disaffected in politics the fall in turnout in women's votes is more steep than the fall off in men's votes.

'And you know when we got to Stevenage to launch it today I think the one thing that women will be discussing with us will not be actually probably the colour of the bus.

'They will probably be discussing whether they get the same pay as men in their workplace, the same opportunities, whether they are tearing their hair out looking for childcare, whether or not if they are looking for older relatives they can combine that with work.

'So it's really a very serious issue but I'm sure the bus is going to be looking great.'

Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman today defended the party's women-only pink minibus, insisting it would be 'looking great

Ms Harman was challenged on ITV's Good Morning Britain about why everyone was talking about the colour of the bus and not important election issues

Critics dubbed the vehicle 'Barbie bus' because of its similarity to the pink plastic toy brand.

Lib Dem deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said it was the wrong way to attract female voters.

He told the Western Morning News: 'The Barbie bus? It's just a tiny bit condescending because it's bright and pink therefore women relate to it more.

'It's a bit like saying that political parties should drive around in macho red sports cars and blokes across the country will suddenly listen to them.

'It just a slightly patronising way to deal with voters it seems to me.'

Tory Caroline Dineage: 'The wheels have come off the Labour bus. Getting Harriet Harman to drive around the country in a pink van to try and attract the female vote is as patronising as it gets.

'This is clearly just another divisive gimmick that the electorate will see through.

The vehicle was branded 'laughable' and 'ridiculous', while users posted pictures of toy Barbie buses to mock the campaign.

Ms Harman said the bus had to be 'eye-catching' because there is a 'big hole in our democratic politics at the moment'

Tom Wilson wrote: 'One looks at #Labour's 'Barbie bus' and you just wonder, exactly how stupid do these people think women are?'

Niamh Kingsley tweeted: 'I mean this really is laughable, come on. Labour launching a pink bus, yes pink bus, to target women.'

WHY PINK? HARRIET EXPLAINS THE CONTROVERSIAL COLOUR CHOICE Given that Labour's official colour has long been red, it would have made sense – and caused less controversy – if the mini-bus had been red too. But Harriet Harman worried it might have ended up looking like a sandwich delivery firm., She told journalists: 'We could have had red but that would look like all the other Labour vehicles and we wanted something different. 'Then we wanted a darker red but it looked like Pret a Manger. We wanted it to look conspicuous and therefore obviously a white van was not going to do the job. 'It is a very nice looking bus. It is the correct colour. This is a One Nation Labour colour.' Advertisement

Jennie Kreser wrote: 'Dear Harriet Harman … that pink bus is patronising and insulting and you got it VERY WRONG. Yours sincerely, A Woman.'

In recent years, manufacturers and clothing firms have come under fire for gender-stereotyping by using pink for girls and blue for boys.

Campaigners say the 'pinkification' of girls is forcing them into a dangerously narrow mindset and teaching them that they should be passive and pretty, valuing beauty over brains.

Labour MP Chi Onwura last year condemned the marketing of 'girls stuff' in pink, warning: 'This aggressive gender segregation is a consequence of big company marketing tactics.'

'It has now got to the point where it is difficult to buy toys for girls in particular which are not pink, princess primed or fairy infused,' Miss Onwurah added.

'What may be driving big company profit margins is limiting children's' choice – and experiences. And ultimately limiting the UK's social and economic potential and helping maintain the gender pay gap.'

Liberal Democrat minister Jenny Willott warned that the message 'pink is for girls, blue is for boys' creates a gender divide that hampers girls' progress at school.

At the end of it all, Miss Harman must have been feeling rather blue.