[SteveMcMahon]

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It was supposed to show that the Labour party understood women's issues.

But the wheels have come off Harriet Harman's bright pink women-only mini-bus before it has even hit the road, with claims it is sexist and patronising spawning a torrent of internet spoofs.

Labour's deputy leader admitted she signed off on the colour for the Woman to Woman bus, insisting it would help to fill a 'big hole in our democratic politics at the moment'. She rejected claims it is patronising because it 'doesn't have big eyelashes on the front'.

And in a bizarre twist in gender politics, Ms Harman revealed the party had been holding 'doctrinal discussions' about whether a man is allowed to drive the Woman to Woman bus as it tours marginal seats.

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But the idea has attracted scorn from opponents and campaigners who say it is patronising to assume women will only be interested in politics if it is wrapped up in pink.

It is also embarrassing because Labour MPs are among those who have accused firms of 'aggressive gender segregation' by dictating pink for girls and blue for boys.

Ms Harman revealed said there had been 'doctrinal discussions' before the launch of the women's campaign over whether the bus's driver - provided by Labour's biggest union funder - should be a woman.

'Unite has provided us with a driver and blow me down they've managed to find a woman with one of these licences,' she told the Huffington Post.

'We've had lots of doctrinal discussions, such as: should we be all right with a male driver?'

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Asked whether the choice of pink for the bus's colour was 'patronising', Ms Harman said: 'Well it doesn't have big eyelashes on the front. We don't care. Actually it's got to look like itself. Because it's new; it's different.'

She insisted that the bus would help to address political disengagement amongst women.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...t-men.html