Brown's deputy doesn't trust men's ability to run the show on their own

London, Aug. 2 (ANI): British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's deputy Harriet Harman doesn't trust men's ability to run organisations on their own, and hence, she has demanded that one of Labour's two top posts should always be held by a woman.

"I don't agree with all-male leaderships. Men cannot be left to run things on their own. I think it's a thoroughly bad thing to have a men-only leadership," The Times quoted Harman, as saying.

Labour's deputy leader secretly tried to change party rules two years ago to ensure that it could never again be led by an all-male team, but she was foiled.

Harman said it was put on the backburner because Labour was busy "getting on with the job" of running the country. She insisted she had been right to press for the change.

"In a country where women regard themselves as equal, they are not prepared to see men running the show themselves. I think a balanced team of men and women makes better decisions. That's one of the reasons why I was prepared to run for deputy leader," she said.

She said the party "owed it to women" to have a female in one of the two top jobs, to ensure concerns of women voters were properly taken into account when decisions were being made.

"Actually, I don't ever think there will be a men-only team of leadership in the Labour party again. People would look at it and say, 'What? Are there no women in the party to be part of the leadership? Do men want to do it all themselves?' It just won't happen again," she said.

Her attempt to change Labour's rules was discussed by just a handful of senior party officials.

Harman has led a determined campaign to promote more women to top jobs, particularly in the City. Under her controversial new equality bill, employers will be given a legal right to choose female candidates in favour of equally qualified male applicants. (ANI)