Labour Women in Power

Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: A  Woman in a Man's World: Margaret Bondfield's Early Career, 1873-1929.- Chapter 3: Over the Glass Cliff: The First Female Cabinet Minister, 1929-1953.- Chapter 4: The Mighty Atom: Ellen Wilkinson, 1891-1945.- Chapter 5: The First Female Minister of Education, 1945-1947.- Chapter 6: A Political Apprenticeship: Barbara Castle, 1910-1964.- Chapter 7: In and Out of Cabinet, 1964-2002.- Chapter 8: From Burnley to Lanark: Judith Hart, 1924-1968.- Chapter 9:  The First Woman Paymaster General and Beyond, 1968-1991.- Chapter 10: Climbing the Parliamentary Ladder: Shirley Williams, 1930-1974.- Chapter 11: In the Cabinet and Out of Labour, 1974-2018.- Chapter 12: Conclusion.

Paula Bartley is a feminist historian who has written widely on, and promoted, women's history. She is the author of The Changing Role of Women (1996), Prostitution (1999), Votes for Women (2007), and also biographies of Emmeline Pankhurst (2002), Ellen Wilkinson (2014), and Queen Victoria (2016).

"This new account, therefore, which considers the five Labour women cabinet ministers appointed before 1997 ... is to be welcomed as an important contribution to the field. ... The book is very welcome for the level of detail and new insights it provides. It will serve as an important text on the topic and its accessible style means that it will have appeal to academic readers, to students at all levels and to a wider readership." (Helen Glew, Journal of Contemporary History, Vol. 58 (1), 2023)


"This book is a welcome addition to histories of women within the labour movement. ... It is hoped it will inspire readers to seek answers as to why, after a 100 years of serving as MPs, there has still never been a female leader of the Labour Party." (June Hannam, Women's History Review, March 3, 2021)


"While Labour Women in Power draws on a rich array of historical sources, there is little reference to feminist institutionalism or the more systematic accounts now available of the gendered mediation of women politicians. ... Nonetheless, there is good material to draw on, making it a worthy addition to the bookshelf." (Marian Sawer, Labour History, Vol. 119, November, 2020)



"Bartley's work makes an invaluable contribution to writing the achievements of these phenomenal women back into the history books. ... Bartley's account of these formidable women and their achievements is a treasure trove of facts and stories." (Rachel Reeves, FABIAN REVIEW, fabian.org.uk, Vol. 131 (4), 2019)