Boost for women in parliament

Last month’s general election has seen women’s representation in Parliament break the 200 barrier for the first time, with 207 women winning seats. 


But analysis by campaigning equality organisation the Fawcett Society shows that if the UK only improves by this much at each election, there will not be equal representation in Parliament until 2062. 


There are now 11 more women MPs than before the election: Labour has 31 more women MPs while the Conservatives lost three. Overall there has only been a two percentage point increase in women’s representation in Parliament, bringing women’s representation to 32%.


The Labour Party managed to slightly increase its proportion of women MPs to 45% from 44% before the election, as it increased its overall seat numbers. 


The Conservative Party saw no increase, with women’s representation stuck at 21%, while the Liberal Democrats now have four women MPs, a third of their parliamentary party.


Thirty-eight of the women MPs returned to Parliament — comprising 17% of all women MPs — are new to their seats in 2017. 


Eight of these new women MPs are Conservative, 24 are Labour, four are Liberal Democrat, and Sinn Fein and the DUP have one each.


Analysis for the Fawcett Society, based on the Electoral Calculus political forecasting website model in early May, had suggested that women’s representation would increase, although by less. But Labour gains have led to an overall slight increase.

https://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/2017/05/womens-representation-parliament-stagnant-june-election