100 years on, female MPs are still too few

This week marks 100 years since the first women gained the right to stand for election to the House of Commons – a landmark in Britain’s democratic history. Sadly, however, women continue to be desperately under-represented. The current number of 209 women MPs is the highest ever – but constitutes just 32% of our total elected representatives in the Commons.

In 100 years, there have been just 491 (including just 19 from Wales). That’s just 50 more than the number of men sitting in parliament today. BME and disabled people are severely underrepresented. And the diversity deficit is even worse in local councils. This affects which issues are heard and which are ignored in the halls of power.

Part of the problem is that we still do not know how many women are being put forward for election by parties. Despite businesses now having to open up about their gender pay gaps, parties are failing to open up about the political gender and diversity gap across elections.

Section 106 of the Equality Act 2010 would require parties to publish such data. It is already on the statute book – it just hasn’t been brought to force by the secretary of state. That’s despite calls from the women and equalities select committee and the Centenary Action Group.

To make progress towards equality, we first need to know where we stand. Making this one simple but important change is the least that government can do – and would be a fitting act to mark this centenary year.

Dr Helen Pankhurst Convener, Centenary Action Group
Sam Smethers Chief executive, Fawcett Society
Jess Garland Head of research and policy, Electoral Reform Society
Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson Director, UK Women’s Budget Group
Shaista Gohir Executive director, Muslim Women’s Network UK
Katie Ghose Chief executive, Women’s Aid Federation of England
Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu Founder and editor-in-chief, Women in Leadership
Baroness Anne Jenkin Co-Founder, Women2Win
Elizabeth Donnelly Chief executive officer, Women’s Engineering Society
Matteo Bergamini Chief executive officer, Shout Out UK
Catherine Fookes Director, Women’s Equality Network Wales
Lee Chalmers Founder and director, The Parliament Project
Dr Sarah Childs Professor of Politics and Gender
Julie Siddiqi Co-founder, Nisa-Nashim Jewish and Muslim Women’s Network
Laura Marks Co-founder, Nisa-Nashim Jewish and Muslim Women’s Network
Catherine Anderson Chief executive, Jo Cox Foundation
Helene Reardon Bond UK gender expert
Seyi Akiwowo Former councillor and activist
Aisha Ali-Khan Founder, Women United
Bee Rowlatt Chair, Mary on the Green Campaign

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