Would a female-run world really be better?

In one of the more stinging sketches from the original Spitting Image TV series Margaret Thatcher is depicted hosting her largely male Cabinet colleagues to lunch. She orders roast duck and when the waiter inquires “Vegetables, ma'am?” she gazes around the table and quips, “Oh, they'll have the same”. of course, was an exaggeration but I have to say it came to mind when I read the details of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's recent interview (your report, 26 January). She made the not entirely original comment that she often thought the world would be a much better place if it was ruled by women. This needs to be challenged on a number of grounds.

The most obvious question is, which women would be in charge, what would their attitudes be, and would they be likely to wield power in a different way to that of men? It is just too simplistic to argue that their insight, their intuition, their supposedly caring attitudes would be applied in a more effective way. It is a truism that power does change men and there is only limited evidence to suggest it does not change women too.

The careers of both Margaret Thatcher and the First Minister are salutary. Both came from relatively modest backgrounds, and both obviously worked hard, made the necessary compromises and manoeuvres to attain high office. But their overall approaches to politics, and what it is there for, seem to be completely different. The former has been accused by her detractors of setting out to destroy communities, while credited by her supporters with building a society based on entrepreneurship and commitment. The latter is accused of a dogged determination to break up the UK by her detractors, of building a renewed optimism for Scotland by her supporters.

Both needed the support of both men and women to help achieve their objectives. Both have relied on strong internal party discipline to help them do that. These are not specifically female qualities; men and women need to show the same type of resilience if they are to succeed in public life.

BOB TAYLOR Glenrothes, Fife