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Rachel Reeves says she 'won’t be queuing up to join' the Garrick Club after it ends its men-only rule
7 May 2024, 21:12 | Updated: 7 May 2024, 22:16
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has told LBC she "won’t be queuing up to join" the Garrick Club after the elite all-male members club finally voted to let women join.
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On Tuesday, it was revealed the club - which was founded in 1831 - had voted to allow women to join after 193 years of just men.
A two-hour debate held at the Covent Garden-based club culminated with 59.98% voting in favour of the change.
Prominent members include King Charles and Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, as well as former England football manager Roy Hodgson and actors Stephen Fry and Brian Cox.
However, Ms Reeves told Iain Dale it was "not really her sort of vibe".
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves tells Iain Dale she 'won’t be queuing up to join' the Garrick Club
"I couldn't believe it when that story came out that they were still not allowing women in even in 2024," she said.
She added she found it "extraordinary" that they were having the conversation about the club's single sex policy.
The shadow chancellor added she believes private-members club should be open to men and women, but stated women-only spaces such as refuges, some hospital wards and women's prisons should protected.
"Well done the Garrick Club for catching up," she added.
Ms Reeves has pledged to end the gender pay gap if she become the UK's first female Chancellor.
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Women were previously only allowed to enter the club by invitation and if accompanied by a man.
Stephen Fry, James Naughtie, Jonathan Sumption and Nigel Havers were among those who voted in favour of the change on Tuesday, The Telegraph reports.
David Pannick KC, who spearheaded the Brexit Article 50 case against the government, conducted a review of the Garrick’s rulebook after the controversy earlier this year.
His team concluded on Tuesday: “In our view, the language of the rules is clear. There is no prohibition on the admission of female members.”
