Women need more swagger to become MPs

[dorade]

This article by Matthew Parris suggests that women should be more like men if they want to become MPs.

I actually think it has a misleading headline; his conclusion is that people need to change how they judge the qualities required for an MP ie that the sexism starts with the expectations.

Yes, I have just read it for a second time and I agree the headline is misleading.

I'm going to file it under deliberately misleading - as is the photo caption - and that Parris and his editor didn't see eye to eye on the "message"...

It's actually easier to become an MP if you're a woman... and quicker. There is - rightly- a pull factor for women MPs and so, those few that are drawn, have a better chance of success than their male counterparts. Ok, so this is positive discrimination. But this is necessary to change the game.