Tory MP Penny Mordaunt notably dodged a question about the government rejecting the recommendations of the Misogyny In Music report in a parliamentary session today (April 25).
Kevin Brennan, Labour MP for Cardiff West, called for a debate to be held relating to the Government’s decision to reject the recommendations made by the Women and Equalities Select Committee in the report, which was published in January.
He then pointed to comments made in disapproval of the government’s decision, including from the Chair of the Select Committee Caroline Nokes – who is MP for Romsey and Southampton North – who said “we have had platitudes and reassurance but no action”.
“Is she comfortable with what the government’s done, and therefore if she isn’t, will she facilitate debate to explore it further?”
“First of all, I think the improvements on the statistics that he gave on the start of his question are something to be proud of and to show that improvements are being made,” said Mordaunt. “I will certainly make sure that the relevant department has heard what the Honourable Gentleman has said today and given that I am a member of the government, I stand on the government’s position.”
Watch the video below:
Is the Leader of the House comfortable with the UK Government rejecting the recommendations made by @Commonswomequ in their ‘Misogyny in Music’ report?
Penny Mordaunt’s answer – yes. pic.twitter.com/fhOEHwE5su
— Kevin Brennan MP (@KevinBrennanMP) April 25, 2024
Published in January, the report warned that women in the music industry face “endemic” misogyny and discrimination and said “urgent action” was required to tackle the issue.
The document described the industry as a “boys’ club” where sexual harassment and abuse are common, and the non-reporting of such incidents is high. Victims who do speak out struggle to be believed or may find their career ends as a consequence, it claimed.
The WEC’s recommendations included urging ministers to take legislative steps to amend the Equality Act. This would ensure that freelance workers have the same protections from discrimination as employees, and would bring into force Section 14 to improve protections for people facing intersectional inequality.
The WEC also recommended that the UK government should legislate to impose a duty on employers to protect workers from sexual harassment by third parties, a proposal the government initially supported and then rejected last year.
It also called for an investment in diversity schemes by both the wider industry and government, especially for male-dominated areas such as A&R, sound engineering and production.
Additionally, the committee urged record labels to commit to regular publication of statistics on the diversity of their rosters. It said that all organisations with more than 100 employees should be required to publish data on the diversity of their workforce, as well as gender and ethnicity pay gaps.
Furthermore, since the report highlighted the use of NDAs that left victims of sexual harassment and abuse “threatened into silence”, the WEC recommended prohibiting their use in cases involving sexual abuse, sexual harassment or sexual misconduct, bullying or harassment, and discrimination relating to a protected characteristic. It has also recommended that the government should consider a retrospective moratorium on NDAs for those who have signed them relating to the issues outlined.
The government’s response said that “everyone should be able to work in the music industry without being subject to misogyny and discrimination”, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport has confirmed it won’t take any of the recommended actions.
In response to the news, the chief executive of the Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) Deborah Annetts said: ‘The Misogyny in Music report should have been a moment of immediate and lasting change for the music industry. The report laid bare the incredibly serious problems the sector has and the entirely reasonable steps Government should take the rectify them.
“For the Government to choose not to make music safer for women is painfully disappointing, if sadly not surprising. The brilliant women who make our music industry what it is deserve better.”
Meanwhile, Safe Gigs For Women added: “We are saddened to read that this government has rejected the Misogyny in Music report published in January by the Women and Equalities Committee. Sexual violence changes lives – inaction is inexcusable.”
We are saddened to read that this government has rejected the Misogyny in Music report published in January by the Women and Equalities Committee. Sexual violence changes lives – inaction is inexcusable. #endVAWG
— safegigs4women #saveourvenues (@safegigs4women) April 23, 2024
The Musicians’ Union has also voiced their disappointment at the government’s response. “The MU are deeply disappointed in the government’s response to the Misogyny In Music report and shocked that the select committee’s recommendations have been rejected in this way,” said their General Secretary Naomi Pohl.
“Women from across the music industry have bravely shared their experiences of misogyny, sexual harassment and abuse as well as other very real barriers they face whilst working in the industry,” she continued. “The government had an opportunity to listen and learn from those lived experiences and implement the changes that the select committee’s report recommended. Instead, the government decided that women’s safety is not a priority. Again, survivors are not being listened to”.
“The Equality Act is out of date and does not reflect how people see themselves or how they work, it needs updating as a matter of urgency. The industry needs increased funding to support targeted action to improve diversity and an improved legislative framework that reflects the way musicians work. The government has committed to neither”.
“We urge the government to rethink its position and implement the recommendations from the report”, she concluded.
In addition, Black Lives In Music (BLiM) and the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) warned that the government risked “falling short” in protecting women in the music industry with their “inaction and oversight”.
“Though it’s heartening to see the government’s willingness to engage with the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA), their oversight of the unique challenges faced by women in our sector is profoundly disheartening,” says Black Lives in Music CEO Charisse Beaumont.
“To dismiss the need for the dual discrimination provision in the Equality Act 2010 as ‘unnecessary’ reveals a grave misunderstanding or, worse, a blatant disregard by the government,” she added. “Intersectional discrimination is a harsh reality for countless women in our industry.”
At the time the report was published, Self Esteem spoke out about her experiences in the music industry. “I didn’t think in my lifetime I’d see any transparency about it,” she shared. “You are made to feel like you’re being over the top, too much, a princess, a diva. Now, me at 37, reading this report I’m going – well yeah, I feel validated.”
She added that she “could cry thinking about the women who haven’t been able to make music and say the things they’d like to say. We revere Bowie and The Beatles, there are so many women that were just as good, but they never got the chance”
Last November, the UK government called for evidence from women in the music industry who had been asked to sign NDAs to silence sexual assault allegations as part of the WEC report.
During a hearing in September, DJ Annie Mac claimed that there was a “tidal wave” of sexual abuse cases throughout the music industry that had yet to come to light. The broadcaster described the music business as “a boys’ club” that was “kind of rigged against women”
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