Joint University and College Union general secretary Paul Mackney, who has caused fury among some top officials after he took control of equality from his female co-general secretary Sally Hunt, went to great pains this week to tell members there were "no differences at head office about the importance or direction of equality work". This missive came in the same week in which Ms Hunt wrote to all women members explaining that she was "disappointed" she would not keep the equality brief and added:
"Even those of my male colleagues who are very committed to gender equality sometimes do not fully understand what issues are actually most important to women. Too often they make assumptions that they know best."