Rachel Reeves and her 2019 book Author: Heathcliff O'Malley
The book by Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, about women in politics, appears to have used uncredited content from a Telegraph article, it may be revealed.
Women of Westminster, a 2019 work examining the careers of female MPs over the last century, appears to use passages from the Labor grandee's obituary Barbara Castle with minor edits.
It comes after the Financial Times found more than 20 examples of apparent plagiarism in Ms Reeves' latest book, The Women Who Made the Modern Economy, when it was published in October.
Ms. Reeves was immediately nicknamed “a copy and a copy.” insert shadow chancellor” Greg Hands, then Conservative chairman. Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, also used the jibe against her during his autumn statement.
The Leeds West Labor MP denied the plagiarism charge but said she took responsibility for the book's contents and “should have done better”. “.
She added: “If I'm guilty of copying and pasting some facts about some amazing women and turning them into a book that will be read, then I'm really proud of it.”
Barbara Castle driving a bus after the opening of a London commercial car showroom in 1966. Photo: Roger Jackson/Halton Archive
Passages from the book Women of Westminster identified by this newspaper were written years before her current role, at a time when Ms Reeves was denied a front-line job under Jeremy Corbyn.
Although The Telegraph is included in the list of modern publications. is used and quoted at various points in the 323-page book, but is not so in certain sections.
This is not a reference to the obituary of Baroness Castle, who died in 2002.
1. 'Comfortable toilet'
A key section of The Telegraph's article focuses on the former Health and Employment Minister's attempts to install a women's toilet next to the House of Commons in Parliament.
It said: “Although male MPs had a convenient toilet in the corridor behind the Speaker's Chair, the ladies' chair was very far away.”
Similarly, Ms Reeves wrote: “Although male MPs had an easily accessible toilet in the corridor behind the Speaker's chair, the nearest women's toilet was a long walk away.”
Both say that Baroness Castle became particularly aware of this problem when she “had to spend long hours on a bench in front of the house.”
2 . Commons Plumbing
The Telegraph's obituary further noted: “House authorities and countless experts were adamant that the water supply prevented this.”
Similarly, Women of Westminster claim: “Parliamentary authorities insisted ' ; the toilet was impossible due to the running water.”
3. “Love Pass”
One revealing section of the obituary records how she encountered “unwanted approaches from men”, including “Bevan's powerful pass… Hugh Dalton's occasional overtures… Wilson's rather clumsy kiss.”
< p>The details are taken from Baroness Castle's Autobiography, but appears to have been misquoted – it actually records that Bevan made an “amourous” rather than a “huge” pass.
Westminster women repeat the same quotes in the same order – and repeats the obvious misquote.
Mr Hands, who became trade secretary in November, said: “Copy and paste Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has struck again, just after it became her new book is understood to have copied sections from Wikipedia.
“As with everything to do with the Labor Party, there is nothing new here and she should apologise.”
Press Secretary Rachel Reeves said: “Rachel Reeves is incredibly proud of Women of Westminster, which tells the story of 100 years of women's participation in politics.
Women of Westminster contains over 800 footnotes and an extensive bibliography of over 200 books , articles and other primary and secondary sources, including The Daily Telegraph, which is included in the list.”
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