Some kind reader sent over a scan of an article in the London Evening Standard (it is not online frustratingly) of an interview with leading fund manager Helena Morrissey and supporter of the 30% club, a group wanting to end meritocracy on British boards - that is, stopping men from being able to compete on an equal basis as women for places on company boards (see here).

There is a telling piece in the article:

"One of our members [of the 30 per cent club] said to us yesterday that they'd just instructed their first vote against a director because the board isn't diverse enough"

This means that a man was not voted against because he lacked the talent, skill, experience and ability to be on the board of whatever the company was - he was voted against solely because he was a man. The first clear example of the sexism against men stalking Britain's boardrooms.

And of course, it was not just him who was sexually discriminated against, it also meant that his (if he has them) wife, girlfriend/partner, daughter, sister and mother were as they would have all benefited from his success in being placed on the board. But this is being done in their name.

This has struck the first blow against mertiocracy in Britain's boardroom - it is proof that the effect of the 30% rule and those who advocate it is not really about equality it is about the end of meritocracy, for special treatment for women and for sexism against men.

Helena Morriseey is proud of the fact that she has nine children and so she should be, but what would be her view if one of her sons was blocked from being on a board simply because he was her son and not her daughter.

Posted by Skimmington