Labour’s Tessa Jowell says she’ll ban sexist adverts from the Tube if she becomes Mayor
There are been a number of social media campaigns against adverts
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A politician running to become Labour’s candidate in next year’s Mayor of London election says she will ban sexist adverts from the Tube if she is elected.
Tessa Jowell, a former Olympics minister, said Transport for London would be made to draw up tougher guidelines than at present.
“Women ought to be able to travel in an environment which doesn’t constantly demean them or present an unrealistic image of women’s bodies,” she told the capital’s Evening Standard newspaper.
The proposed policy comes after a series of social media outcries against demeaning adverts on the Tube.
One controversial advert, from health food marketed Protein World, featured a picture of a woman in a bikini asking “are you beach body ready?”.
The Advertising Standards Agency ruled that the adverts were not offensive or overly sexual and said no action had to be take on them.
Ms Jowell described such commercial material as “overly sexualised” and “unrealistic”.
The politician, who stood down as an MP at the general election in preparation for her bid, is believed to be the frontrunner in the race for the Labour nomination.
Ms Jowell has also pledged to tax empty homes and set up a mayoral agency to directly build homes in the capital.
The other candidates for Labour’s selection are Christian Wolmar, a transport journalist, Sadiq Khan, the MP for Tooting, David Lammy, the MP for Tottenham, Gareth Thomas, the MP for Harrow, and Diane Abbott, the MP for Hackney and Stoke Newington.
The winning candidate will represent their party in the race for City Hall, which takes place in 2016.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments