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?

@Outofideas79

No, what I'm saying is that any sort of mandated gender split ends up with posts being filled by people who shouldn't be in post, just to meet a target.

How would it work - would you have constituencies where only women could stand for election? Regardless of party? Or where if a man won it had to go to the woman with the highest number of votes instead?

A forced 50/50 split just doesn't work in a publicly elected role.

I would like a parliament that reflected the country, but I think it needs deeper and longer planning than all female short lists

Why are there too few women? What sort of people do we want - go talk to those women - find out what would put them off - sort that out. Then target desirable candidates.. would be a start.

Define "women", and see where that gets you.

The PP is joking

Why would an all female Pmt be like ‘mumsnet on speed’ and what does that actually mean?

Its a stupid idea.

But i think a bit of research into what puts women off politics and then looking if those things are essential to politics or not is worthwhile. And if not essential, changing them might be good. I dont mean superficial things like breastfeeding rooms and childcare which o assume are done already.

I wouldnt be into the adversarial pantomime in the house of commons for instance, but i would be excellent running a select committee.

Personally I'd just like to see intelligent MPs with good judgment who focussed their work on the needs of this country.

So candidates and ultimately MP’s will be imposed on us , denying us the freedom to vote for who we want. Bollocks to that.

No thanks OP

I agree that more women need to be encouraged to stand.

But limiting the individual choice of the electorate is heading off towards a very slippery slope.

I second this

G

But that would totally undermine democracy? And quotas are well proven to not be helpful. And you are assuming all women would make great MPs.

It's not just MPs. It's all the institutions of power. The House of Lords had no women till 1958 and is still only just over a quarter. Obviously that's a totally anachronistic system but it's one which could probably be manipulated towards more genuine diversity than other bodies. What are figures like for senior civil servants?

Good point!

Every party should have 50% of candidates be female (and not all the women in unwinnable seats). Then people can vote for who they want.

parties can achieve this by making sure that their shortlists have plenty of excellent women, supporting women to stand and making sure that the people who select from the shortlists are aware of factors that might bias them against women and actively take steps to counter that.

Labour has 52% of its MPs who are women so I would imagine they stopped them as got the aim of half.

Think it was a great question!!

If politics is a microcosm of society then you can clearly see how intelligent & educated women step back and are stepped on by society which socialises them into last place in their own lives 😿😿 #Womanhooded xx

This. It would be impossible.

Well yes.

Unfortunately not enough people of merit of either sex want to stand. I mean, who would any of us have voted for in Rochdale? I see they've elected George Galloway. Who the heck would have wanted to stand there? (I gather the green candidate was a very decent rational bloke but he'd said something on Twitter about a decade ago re Gaza which was quite sensible back then but now would doubtless have caused him to be minced so he withdrew and the greens deselected him. )

Exactly!! 😿😿

Halve the number of constituencies and each constituency elects a male and female MP? Still not sure how that would work though.

It would be undemocratic to have a mandated 50/50 split. However, representation in parliament would naturally sort itself out of politics wasn't so institutionally sexist, classist and a lot of other isms. The way politics works in this country means that it's extremely difficult to get into successfully unless you are supremely confident, well connected, and have the time and money to spend a good chunk of both establishing yourself first (a bit like unpaid internships) before you strike out for an MPs role. Meetings are often late in the evening and a lot of conversations take place through networking situations. Women with caring commitments face an immediate barrier, as does anyone poor who doesn't already know a couple of the 'right' people. Tackle that and you'd end up with much better representation. This is something each party should be tackling at grass roots level.

So right! Am on board xxx

Yes half should be female

No you can't force things

What should be happening is looking at why it's not - for example is how our politics run biased towards men-

• the House of Commons yell at each other isn't a woman friendly environment ?
• the hours and travel isn't freindly towards women who still tend to end up being primary carers for family

It should be a meritocracy, it's clear it isn't since it's not 50-50 so people saying the best candidate should win as justification for the current imbalance are rather missing the point