UK WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
- abangura6
- May 7, 2025
- 7 min read
NAME: AISHAT BANGURA
MODULE CODE: 6MZ028/UMI
UNIVERSITY OF WOLVERHAMPTON SCHOOL OF ARTS
STUDENT NUMBER: 2237114
SUPERVISOR: GARETH OWEN
DATE: 03.05.2025
WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
The United Kingdom’s history when it comes to leadership roles has mostly been in favour of males, rather than females. Whether it is within the field of politics, economic, or social aspects, females have been mostly less represented as compared to their male counterparts. While the UK can be commended for being better than other European countries, like Hungary and Russia, some essential improvements have been over the years to help achieve an equal and just working environment, the fair allocation of duties remains unbalanced across all spectrums, and this is necessary to delve deep into.
This dissertation seeks to focus on different issues from all angles, that tells the highs and lows of women in the UK sailing through the hardships and untold stories of leadership. In addition to the available data on women in leadership versus the men, I will entail more details that is curtailing the progress of women – whether it is religious beliefs or practices or institutional discrimination that is hindering their progress and tell how they toiled through it all to achieve their goals and become who they are today. Essentially, this dissertation aims to throw more light on the inspiring stories of women who contribute to make the United Kingdom a better place for all and set the pace for the future generation.
In 2024, 51% of women held government post in the UK. Which brought the UK to the fourth position across Europe, with Belgium at third, Lichtenstein at second, and Finland at the first position.
Talk of female leaders in the UK, one cannot overlook the likes of Margaret Thatcher. Her career as a woman was epic. She was the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the year 1979 and known to be one of the greatest head of state in the past years. Her leadership style was filled with assertiveness, courage, and a high sense of strength. Affectionately called the ‘Iron lady,’ she was a work-oriented woman who was focused on the betterment of the United Kingdom’s financial and political spectrum through the great initiatives she introduced.
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We can all draw significant lessons from Magaret Thatcher’s style of leadership. She embodied all things a great leader can offer. From her strong persona to her powerful decision making through difficult times, her works are worth emulating, especially to those who are exploring their leadership skills.
HER BACKGROUND
She was born in Grantham in the year 1925 to a grocer father. She grew in a home where resilience was their hallmark. Before venturing into politics, she studied at chemistry at Oxford and finally qualified as a barrister. Throughout her life, she has always been a leader in all facets of her journey. She was elected as the MP in 1959 and rapidly became influential within the Conservative party and country. She became the leader of the party in 1975, and in 1979, she became the first British female Prime Minister for 11 years. Her regime was notable for some economic policies, back and forth with trade unions, and an unshakeable stance on foreign issues, precisely, during the Falklands War.
PHOTO CREDIT: VINTAG.ES
HER LEADERSHIP STYLE
Magaret’s leadership style can be simply described as nothing short of exquisite. Below, I will be listing some notable features that defined her reign and explain them into details.
· Transparent policies – Her stance on reduction in government employees, free trade, and personal duties were straightforward and unhinged. She used this principle as a benchmark to lead her in making vital government decisions despite the glaring sight of possibly losing the election.
· Firmness & Courageous – Cowardness, timidity, and weakness was never part of her personality. Even when making huge decisions like turning state-owned companies into private entities, or changing labour laws, she did them in good faith.
· Perseverance under duress – Her ability to work under criticisms coming from all angles and yet maintained composure and well-focused on her job was phenomenal, that raised her status even higher.
· Direct communication: She was known to be the nonchalant, sincere, explicit, and plain type when it came to interacting with people or the media. She also had a great sense of humour.
· Powerful presence – her presence spoke for itself. Even in the midst of an industry that is occupied by men, it did not deter her. She presented herself very well.
· Calculated risk-taking – Thatcher was known for taking decisions that seemed unusual or scary to the ordinary man. If a decision is in consonance with her goals and objectives, she will risk it all for it, even if the masses disagreed with her. Example of such is during the miner’s strikes.
· Results oriented, rather than fame – Magaret, despite the fame she had garnered as the first female British Prime Minster, she did not allow it to get to her. One of her famous speeches, ‘If you just set out to be liked, you will be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you will achieve nothing.’ Is indicative of the type of person she was.
CHALLENGING MOMENTS
PHOTO CREDIT: BBC
Thatcher’s final days as the leader of the country were fraught with controversies and political tensions, not only from the opposition parties, but the conservatives, as well. On the 28th of November 1990, Magaret stepped down as the British Prime Minister. Her resignation was known to be one of the most unexpected since the war. As a strong woman of her calibre, who has won three elections and has never suffered any defeat, it came as shocking to most people, to see her leave this way. A plan that was orchestrated by two prominent figures of the Conservative party from Wales, Namely, Michael Heseltine from Swansea and Geoffrey Howe from Talbot connived to bring her political career to a grinding halt. According to some, the fall of Thatcher can still be felt even to this day. Some of the main reasons behind her resignation were her involvement in the sale of council homes, her dispute with the miners, the way she tightened trade union policies, how she expelled the Argentinians out of Falklands and privatising state-owned industries.
THERESA MAY
In this section, I will be discussing the Theresa May, British second Prime Minister, and just like Thatcher, she also emerged from the conservative party. I will give a brief information on her background, her political career, ups and downs of her regime, her defining moment, and what led to her resignation. I will also entail details of her relationship with the international community, how she dealt with foreign policies, and the mark she has left behind as one of Britain’s Prime Minister. Theresa May served as the British Prime Minister between July 2016 to July 2019. Prior to that, she was the home secretary from 2010 to 2016. May is regarded as an astute politician, who succeeded David Cameron during a time of political instability as a result of Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union. As a lady who grew up in a religious home, Theresa held great values from the onset. Before going to Oxford University, she went to Holton Park Girls’ Grammar School. She studied geography at St. Hugh’s college, before venturing into banking, and then joining the Association for payment clearing services. In 1980, she landed her political career as the councillor for the London Borough of Merton for about eight years. After her attempt to get into the house of commons failed, her dream finally materialised in 1997, as the member of parliament for Maidenhead. Her views on migration policies were quite extreme and she is in support of same-sex marriage.
LEADERSHIP STYLE
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· POWERFUL SPEECH – One of May’s first speeches dubbed as the “burning injustices” speech which focused on the level of indiscrimination going on in the British society. Some of the issues she touched on were the challenges people from the less privileged backgrounds faced, racism against people from different ethnic groups, gender pay gap, and different sexualities. By emphasizing these issues, May aimed to portray herself as a leader who understood the concerns of ordinary people and was committed to creating a fairer society. This was seen by many as an attempt to re-position the conservative party, and to show a more compassionate side to conservative policies. The speech suggested a focus on domestic policy and social reform, rather than solely on economic matters.
· Her courage to initiate BREXIT - On March 29, 2017, Theresa May's government officially triggered Article 50. This was done by the UK's formal process of leaving the EU. This was an important moment, setting the pace for the coming years. Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union outlines the process by which a member state can willingly exit the EU. It sets a guideline for withdrawal proceedings. It also made meaning of Theresa May's commitment to carrying out the result of the 2016 referendum, where a majority of voters had chosen to leave the EU. It also began a period of intense political division within the UK.
THE FALL OF THERESA MAY
Here, I will be explaining why Theresa May had to resign.
Loss of Authority - The repeated defeats on her Brexit deal, coupled with the fallout from the 2017 election, led to a significant loss of political authority. She also found it very hard to maintain control of the party, which was at the time divided over their respective views on Brexit.
Leadership Style: Her leadership style, often seen as too careful and laid back, was viewed by some as a problem in the face of the complex Brexit negotiations. Her inability to create a general agreement across party lines, also contributed to her downfall.
REFERENCES
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