All-women shortlists

A Bill to allow political parties to select candidates using all-women shortlists was put forward by former women's minister Joan Ruddock in the House of Commons last month. However, although it was passed unopposed on its first reading, as a 10-minute rule Bill it has no chance of becoming law.

Ruddock believes that the current rate of progress towards gender

equality in parliament is too slow. According to House of Commons

library projections there will not be an equal number of male and female MPs until 2030 if change continues at the pace set between 1983 and 1997.

Ruddock's amendment to the Sex Discrimination Act does not call for any positive action but simply removes any legal deterrent to having all-women shortlists. Following a legal challenge in 1996, Labour's policy of using women-only lists was dropped.