UK

Quotas should be introduced to increase the numbers of women in parliament and public life to address the "dire" gender balance in Westminster, authors have told the Edinburgh international book festival.

Kamila Shamsie, the novelist, and Kate Mosse, the author and founder of the Women's Prize for Fiction, argued that quotas for women in parliament, though according to Mosse "a blunt tool", could "effect real change".

Lady Verma argues macho 'bang on tables' to be heard aspect of politics is unattractive, but warns PM against tokenism

Female politicians have to work hard to be "noticed and seen" in the "bang-on-tables" world of Westminster, one of David Cameron's ministers has said.

Lady Verma of Leicester, an energy minister, said the way women have to "raise our tempo" to be heard is an unattractive aspect of politics today.

Women still know less about politics than men despite progress in sexual equality, especially in Britain, academics have said.

A study of 10 nations found an "unmistakable gender gap" even in apparently progressive richer nations.

The division was particularly stark in Britain, which was found to have the second-widest gulf in knowledge between the sexes.