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Woman's Hour: Carrie Johnson, Supreme Court nominee, Women & work in the 17th century, Rising popularity of thongs, MMR

Carrie Johnson, Supreme Court nominee, Women & work in the 17th century, Rising popularity of thongs, MMR

BBC Radio 4 - Woman's Hour, Carrie Johnson, Supreme Court nominee, Women & work in the 17th century, Rising popularity of thongs, MMR

Carrie Johnson - the first prime ministerial spouse who has had a career in politics.

As someone with a career in politics, Carrie Johnson has been described as the most powerful political spouse in living memory in this country.

As the Prime Minister apologises for a failure of leadership, accepting Sue Gray's report, and promises to overhaul Number 10 - his place of work and home - what of Carrie Johnson? And concerns about the blurring of lines...

The pandemic has changed the way some women work and has blurred the boundaries between home and work for many. A new book by Professor Laura Gowing of King’s College London called 'Ingenious Trade' unearths the stories of women at work in 17th Century London and shows how crucial to their identity paid employment was. 

For those who remember the late 90s and early noughties, thongs were a defining emblem of popular fashion, often poking out of denim and low-rise trousers. Today, clothes retailers are seeing a surge in their thong sales since 2019, and with the resurgence of ‘y2k’ style among young people, it seems that thongs are back.

Joe Biden announced last week that he'd fulfil his campaign promise of the first black female justice just as Justice Stephen Breyer said he would retire. Biden said that it was long overdue in his opinion and that he will reveal his choice of a younger, liberal judge by the end of February. While many Americans welcome diversity in the Supreme Court, Biden has also faced criticism for playing identity politics. Emma discusses this with Kimberly Peeler-Allen who is the co-founder of Higher Heights, an organisation that builds the collective political power of Black women and Lawrence Hurley, Reuters U.S. Supreme Court Correspondent.

Latest data from the UK Health Security Agency shows that more than one in ten children starting school in England are at risk of measles because they haven't had their jabs. Vaccine rates for the MMR, which helps protect five-year-olds against measles, mumps and rubella, have fallen to their lowest level in a decade. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, there's been a concerning drop in the number of children receiving these vaccinations on time, with some parents perhaps not wanting to burden the NHS or unaware doctors were still offering appointments.  


Presenter: Emma Barnett
Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Interviewed Guest: Caroline Slocock
Interviewed Guest: Caroline Wheeler
Interviewed Guest: Professor Laura Gowing
Interviewed Guest: Alizé Demange
Interviewed Guest: Letty Cole
Interviewed Guest: Kimberly Peeler-Allen
Interviewed Guest: Lawrence Hurley
Interviewed Guest: Professor Helen Bedford

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