Bristol MP on the fight for gender equality

As Bristol prepares to celebrate 100 years of women’s suffrage, MP Darren Jones talks about gender equality and why he’s championing a change in work practises.

The vegan jazz saxophonist secured a surprise victory in the June General Election and has since been a vocal critic of the Government’s handling of Brexit negotiations, as well as austerity measures.

But more recently, he has become one of the only male MPs to speak out about the sexual harassment that rocked Westminster, and is calling for working hours across the UK to become more family friendly.

The latter is a timely topic as his wife, Lucy Symons-Jones, gave birth to their daughter, Ophelia, earlier this week.

Bristol24/7 managed to catch up with the Bristol North West MP in Westminster shortly before the new arrival.

“The whole gender equality thing is something I rabbit on about just because I do not think it should be an issue anymore,” says Jones.

“Cultures need to move on. One of the things I’m doing in the New Year is looking at how we make businesses more family-friendly because a lot of businesses see it as a woman’s role to look after the children. There are so many men who cannot get the shared paternity leave they are entitled to.

“Timings in parliament are not family-friendly at all. My work is never done, but if everything is wrapped up for the day, I can take the decision to go home, cook and have a family life – I would much rather do that than hang around in the pub.

“That [pub] culture is changing with new MPs and more women MPs but I have always said that parenting should not be a gender issue.”

He argues that having people working hours based around a healthy family life and promoting gender equality will ultimately improve productivity and the economy.

The Westminster sexual harassment scandal saw a number of incidents come to light as women, including Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy, spoke out.

Darren Jones says joking about sexual harassment is unacceptable

It was after overhearing two Tory MPs joking about the matter that Jones decided to speak out in the House of Commons.

“I overheard two men asking in humour whether they had ‘fessed up to their sexual harassment,” he told the house. “As a man I stand to call that out, it is not ‘bants’, it is unacceptable.”

He also expressed concerns after hearing from journalists that they had been issued with gagging orders after presenting evidence of sexual harassment.

Currently taking some time out to spend with his wife and new baby, Jones has ambitious plans for 2018, which include working with employers to eradicate modern day slavery in his constituency and the launch of a digital democracy app.

This is the first of its kind and will be used to pilot the use of video as a form of digital democratic engagement between constituents and their MPs.

Read the full feature documenting a day in the life of Darren Jones and analysing the MP’s first 200 days in office in the January issue of Bristol24/7.

Read more: Bristol MP Darren Jones sports polished nails in parliament to raise awareness of modern slavery