Them's the breaks
Edition 67
Happy Sunday,
As Sri Lankans stormed their Presidential palace ousting the nepotism heavy political elite which has driven that democracy into a ‘humanitarian crisis’, this week in British politics has felt more like an episode out of the 1980s sitcom “Yes Prime Minister” in comparison – The ‘cost of living crisis’ be damned.
Them’s the breaks
It’s been a tough week to be Boris Johnson. After a grudging admittance of defeat and a humiliating resignation which broke the internet (CNN's Jeanne Moos tried to decode his one-liner), the poor man was then the butt of many a public giggle. Next up on his plate? Speculation the only reason he wanted to hang on as caretaker PM was to have his and Carrie Johnson’s wedding party in the PM’s country retreat home - a 16th century government-owned mansion called Chequers. (The Telegraph story). The party has since been moved to another venue. (Guardian story).
Following a Boris act is going to be tough, in more ways than one for those in the U.K’s Conservative party putting their hats in the three ring PM/Party leader circus that’s kicked off since (Bloomberg story).
Amongst the names jostling to be the U.K’s next PM are a few women we all need to get familiar with as they line up to take part in what will no doubt be yet another rendition of The Game of Thrones. Some have declared their intent to run, others will announce in the coming hours. Off these names some will sound familiar to even those of you in varied parts of the world. But most will be unknown if you live anywhere outside the Westminster bubble.
Suella Baverman declared her intention to run, before Boris even had a chance to officially declare “them’s the breaks.” She’s managed to ruffle many a feather during her time as Boris’s attorney general, even within her own party and definitely in Brussels. Here’s a little about her on ITV.
A relative young and unknown name outside of the Tory party is Kemi Badenoch. She was jointly a ‘levelling up’ (whatever that means) and equalities minister for Boris until she resigned last week. In an article for the Times announcing her candidacy, Kemi’s planted her flag on ‘culture war issues’. This should be fun! Here is a little about her in The Spectator.
Then there is bookie favourite, Liz Truss. Boris’ foreign secretary (aka Minister) who has been talking the tough talk when it comes to Russia - but has made repeated geographical faux pas giving the Russians plenty to jump on. But then again, while she may not have a lot of fans in diplomatic circles, she has enough in countries like India where she is well liked for building bridges. With comparisons rife that she is the next Margaret Thatcher, here’s a little about her in The Times.
Nadine Dorries, Boris’ culture Secretary has indicated she will be a name to reckon with. A former nurse, she has been an ardent supporter of Boris as he careened from crisis to crisis. Per a source, the Daily Mail reports that Nadine is determined to fight for Brexit, against a “woke culture” and to “keep Boris’s flame alive”. Here’s a little about her in The Daily Mail.
One name that young Tory voters and Scottish conservatives would potentially back in a general election is Penny Mordaunt. The U.K.’s first ever female defence minister (an ardent Brexiteer, appointed by Theresa May), Penny was relegated to a junior trade minister role under Boris. She is now pegged to be the dark horse who could be PM. That is, if Tory men aren’t too threatened by a woman described by her peers as onew with ‘gumption’, who can ‘verbally decimate the opposition’. Here’s a little about her on ITV.
The additions and subtractions to/from this list will be fast and furious in the coming days. The conservative party wants a clear decision on their new boss, before they go on a summer break in two weeks. Nominations for the race officially open on Monday, close on Tuesday, with the first round of elimination on Wednesday.
Conservative party members will choose Britain’s new boss. Central to that choice will be the candidate’s stance on taxation. It’s gearing up to be an internal blood bath (Rishi Sunak Vs. Everyone else in The Telegraph) with the public getting no say. That’s got the chatter-mill buzzing that the Tory party’s rule making body the 1922 committee may even change a few rules in the leadership race to ensure this Game of Thrones doesn’t last till the Autumn/Fall.
Roe V Wade - The fallout
Watch out European women. If you thought your rights were safe, it turns out actions in the US have reverberations in a largely pro-abortion and pro-women’s rights Europe too (sans Poland and Hungary of course). Keep an eye on a man called Grégor Puppinck (per this Politico story) — the director of the legal foundation, European Center for Law and Justice (ECLJ). Funded by backers in the U.S. the ECLJ pushes for conservative interpretations of the law on topics like religious freedom, assisted suicide and, of course abortion, in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and other international organisations.
Quebec born Grégor is Europe’s most vociferous anti-abortionist. He shares platforms in anti-abortion countries like Poland and Hungary with heavyweights from the American right, has advised the Vatican, been awarded by the Italian government — and he says overturning Roe V Wade proves judges will now look at abortion in Europe differently too.
This is the paragraph in the (linked above) Politico article that really got me worried. The tentacles of the far right aren’t just ideologies and the export of angry old white men on television — it’s cold hard cash:
“$81.3 million worth of funding flowed from U.S. donors to help fund activism against abortion and other conservative causes between 2009 and 2018, according to a report compiled by the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF), a pro-abortion access network that connects members across European parliaments with a liberal stance on sexual and reproductive rights.
The American left isn’t far behind either. Politico’s report shows the link between pro-abortion American organisations and their funding and ties to European organisations, courts, judges and governments too.
Caught my eye
Womenomics - the Abe legacy
The world reeled with graphic pictures emerging from the assassination of Japan’s most famous politician, former PM Shinzo Abe this week. As the news of his death sunk in, his legacy has become central to talking about a man whose economic policies even got their own name - ‘Abenomics.’
Dragging Japan out of a 20-year slump was no easy feat and he had plenty of failures in that attempt. Like his policy of ‘womenomics.’ The policy was focussed on bringing Japanese women out of their homes (where they’d been relegated post the Second World War) and into the workforce. Womenomics has spluttered and struggled since- but Shinzo Abe will always be remembered for the first major push by a Japanese government to mobilise a largely dormant population of 65 million women. How it progresses will be up to this current government. (Read the story in Fast Company)
🚨 for EU Women innovators
Applications to the ninth edition of the EU Prize for Women Innovators are now open.
Deadline for applications is 18 August 2022 at 17.00 (CET). Learn more in their How to apply section.
The EU Prize for Women Innovators “celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind game-changing innovations”. The prize is awarded to the most talented women entrepreneurs from across the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe, who have founded a successful company and brought innovation to the market. The prize is managed by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, and the winners are chosen by an independent expert jury.
There are two prize categories and eligible applicants can only apply to one.
• Women Innovators category: 3 prizes of €100,000 each awarded to the most talented women innovators from across the EU and Associated Countries
• Rising Innovators category: 3 prizes of €50, 000 each awarded to the most promising young innovators under 35
But innovators beware
Turns out prize money might be the safest way to take cash from the European Commission. Their track record of trying to be a VC hasn’t exactly been stellar till now. The European Innovation Council’s delayed payments to start ups it seems has left many short on cash and on the brink of going out of business. (Read the story on Sifted).
Banking on Africa
Neo banks are taking off across Africa and one to keep an eye on is Torche and its founders Sisan Dorsu and Gbenga Oni. The start-up is the latest to join the Techstars New York Class of Spring 2022.
Torche is a Nigerian-based fintech that enables customers in Africa to make payments and other transactions with their fingerprint through biometric POS terminals, leading to increased payment success rates versus incumbent technology.
Techstars is an American seed accelerator that has invested in more than 2,900 companies with a combined market cap of more than $189 billion. (Read more Sisan and Torche in TechCabal).
Africa’s stellar week!
Elena Rybakina became the first player from Kazakhstan to win a Grand Slam title by beating Tunisian third seed Ons Jabeur in a gripping Wimbledon final. Well, technically Elena’s Russian, but got around the Wimbledon ban on players from the country by playing under the Kazakh flag. But leaving aside all that Russia propaganda noise — the match that got my attention at Wimbledon this year was the one that allowed Ons Jabeur to become the first Arab and African woman to play in a Grand Slam final.
And boy was it a match worth watching. Two great friends - Tatjana Maria and Ons, battling it out on the green courts of Wimbledon. One making history as a mother playing in a Grand Slam, just a year after giving birth to her second child. And the other Ons, making history by beating Tatjana 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 on Centre Court. And at the end, it was the sweetest of gestures by both that highlighted what friendship and true sportsmanship is all about!
Here is more about the Tunisian trailblazer in The Guardian. And here’s more about Tatjana - the German who has proved that having children doesn’t stop women from being simply amazing.
Fashion at the V&A
A few months ago, I’d talked about the Africa Fashion at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London as one of the most anticipated museum shows to expect globally in 2022. Turns out I was on the money! If you are in, or visiting London in the next few months— put it on your must-do list.
Breaking barriers, perceptions and gender expectations, the works on show range from Rwandan fashion house Moshions, Somali artist and costume designer Gouled Ahmed, Nigerian designer Adeju Thompson, under his brand name Lagos Space Programme, Moroccan designer Artsi Ifrach among others. And then there are the Vanguards of modern African design— legends like Thomas-Fahm, Alphadi, Seydou and Ansah. Get ready to be wowed and change your mind about what African fashion is all about!
Honeymoon’s over
Model and actress Jerry Hall and media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s marriage is over. The model/actress filed for divorce in the land of a potential equitable split of marital assets (almost a 50/50), California. Depending on who you ask - Rupert ended the 6 year marriage via email, with Jerry’s “camp” pointing fingers at the Murdoch children being behind the end of the honeymoon.