That 50% of MPs should be women

[Frumpitydoo]

Why aren't they? Why isn't this mandated? I know fewer females go into politics, but having had this brought to my attention through Mumsnet, boy has it riled me.

We just get shat on and shafted from the get go and stand no chance, do we?

Why should they be? MPs should always be voted for. Irregardless of sex.

I’d much rather there was a natural 50/50ish split between men and women as that who happen to be elected rather than mandated - but I have no idea how to achieve that.

how would you mandate it? Constituency A all candidates are male (no matter how good or bad they are), Constituency B all candidates are female (again, no matter how good or bad they are)?

I agree. Not sure what happened to women only short lists for some constituencies in the LP but yes companies, politics should reflect society.

Meanwhile on mumsnet we see women shafted every day because they become SAHM and don't get proper financial plans in place etc

How is that implemented democratically? Do we have half of all seats where only women can stand for election, and half for men? If so which seats will be for men and which for women?

Edited for typo.

No. I don't agree in any type of gender quotas.

I think the concept hinders women, suggests that they wouldn't get the role otherwise, and results in incapable women getting roles ahead of men who are better suited to the role.

That said, good politicians appear to be in short supply regardless of sex.

Liz Truss, Preti Patel, Therese Coffey don't exactly convince me that female politicians are better than male politicians. Male politicians are pretty poor too.

This !

I'm not sure of the workings of this, I'm just suddenly fizzing over our lack of representation and visibility in British society.

I think Dogshit Cozens (don't care if I've misspelt his name), along with Mumsnet threads on the topic have sent me raging.

I mean of course if there was a parliament that actually represented society then absolutely there would be a 50:50 split. Lots of people will say that people should be voted in on their merit not sex, but currently I don't see either happening. The reality is that there should be naturally a 5050 being represented in elections, but the reality is only a small section of society has access to this.

There is absolutely something wrong with the current political class who are wholly unrepresentative of society, being very much made up of a majority of male, pale middle aged and middle class. You cannot possibly tell me that those representing us in parliament are a. The best that we have in society, or b. Representative of the society they speak on behalf of.

Yes, the recent/current bunch don't fill one with hope I do admit!

'Why should they be? MPs should always be voted for. Irregardless of sex.'

100% this

I think, generally, MPs should reflect society (sex/ethnicity/sexuality) because otherwise decisions are being made with no awareness of what it means for the other side. Having a bunch of white 40/50 something men make all the rules doesn’t exactly lend itself to examining all angles.

Covid was a great example of rules made by men that ultimately shafted women. Unsuitable PPE for female faces/bodies, sudden closure of school and childcare, women being asked to give birth alone well beyond the reopening of pubs and social
activities, etc.

I think the attacks from trolls and potentially in person may put many women off even if you had this policy.

I'd rather have a competent male MP than a useless female one just put in place to make up a mandated 50/50 split! They're voted in 🤷

Because they don't represent the people they supposedly represent, nor do they represent women's best interests.

See also The Met. and the Police in general.

@Midnlghtrain I mean yes who wouldn't? But are we saying on the whole men are more capable politicians than women and that's why middle class white men seem to hold a majority....or could there possibly other factors at play here 🤔

The reality is we have many useless male MPs and I'd frankly rather they were useless females.
Sorry AFK now, not abandoning you.

Gender isn't an indicator of competency. Liz Truss, Priti Patel, Braverman?

So women are not capable of doing it on their own merit?

I agree with you. Men have been ruling the world for thousands of years. It’s time for women to have a proper go.

Would you do it?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68419987

Just a couple of days ago - death threats, arson attacks, intimidation of family, police patrols, bodyguards.

Oh dear Lord

I think we should experiment with a women only parliament.

For a trial period of, say, 200 years.

This is a ridiculous idea. You'd rather have an MP who is a woman regardless of their political ideology. How on earth could you enforce a 50/50 division, conscript women to go into politics against their will? Think about the quality of MP that this would result in!

We absolutely need more women in politics however this is something that needs to be looked at long-term by engaging and educating children in political matters at an early age. Mandating that 50% of politicians must be female solely on the basis of their gender is idealistic but would not work in practice. MP's must be voted for on their own merit, that is why we are a democracy.

How would you force women to go into politics if they don't want to ?
MP,s should be elected on Merit regardless of Sex if that means one sex is over represented than so be it
The question should be why are not more women going into.politics ?