Former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown has slammed the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews ( R & A) for not admitting women members.
Brown used his speech at the inaugural Campbell Christie memorial lecture at the Scottish Parliament Holyrood’s Festival of Politics to single out the R & A for its inequality towards the admittance of women members.
Former British PM Gordon Brown slams R & A not allowing women to become members.
Brown, who was British Prime Minister from June 2007 to May 2010, said the R & A should folow the example set earlier this week when Augusta National ended an 80-year ban to admit Condaleeza Rice and Darla Moore.
“There is much to do, even within Scotland, to honour these traditions of justice and inequality and we must not be bland to discrimination where it exists within Scotland, whether it is racial, religious, sexual or gender,” said Brown.
“From events this week it is clear, for example, that we cannot uphold the ideal of Scotland as a country that prides itself in justice at all times calling for an end to all discrimination against women, and yet we still see in St. Andrews Royal and Ancient Golf Club preventing women members.
“Indeed the principal and vice-chancellor at St. Andrews University (Dr. Louise Richardson), who would normally be an R & A member because of the position she holds, remains barred from membership because she is a woman.
“If the golf club in Augusta can start to admit women, shouldn’t St. Andrews.
“Shouldn’t the R & A admit women to their membership? If they can do it a southern state (Georgia), can we not do it in Scotland?
“Scotland must change, and end a basic discrimination against women that is an unacceptable blot on Scotland’s traditions of justice for all.”
Brown’s comments followed those the same day of Scottish Sports Minister, Shona Robison who also called on clubs like the R & A and the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers at Muirfield, and venue for next year’s Open Championship, to fall in line behind Augusta National.
The R & A had responded to Augusta National’s move by issuing a short statement saying there was no indication that it would follow suit.
