United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Women in politics with children not prioritised, says Bethan Sayed

Working in politics is unhealthy and almost impossible for women with children, a former MP claimed. Jenny Willott, a former Liberal Democrat Cardiff MP, worked up to 100 hours a week, which she said would be "really tough" for a mother. Bethan...

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Data and Statistics

Women in politics and public life

House of Commons Library

In both politics and public life in the UK, women have historically been underrepresented. In recent years women’s representation has increased, although in most cases men remain overrepresented, especially in more senior positions. This briefing...

The Senedd in Cardiff - Picture: Tivy-Side Advertiser

Thursday, June 09, 2022

Welsh Government to press ahead with plans to increase Senedd members

Tivy-Side Advertiser

The Welsh Government is to press ahead with plans to increase the number of Senedd members despite opposition from senior Conservatives. The reforms, proposed by Labour and Plaid Cymru as part of a co-operation agreement, would see the number of...

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Women across British politics slam sexism of ‘Basic Instinct’ slur against lawmaker

PBS

LONDON (AP) — Women from across British politics called Monday for action to tackle misogyny after a newspaper ran a story accusing the deputy opposition leader of trying to “distract” the prime minister during debates by crossing and uncrossing her...

We must celebrate Westminster's female role models if we're to attract more women to a career in politics - Caroline Nokes. Credits: The House

Friday, January 14, 2022

We must celebrate Westminster's female role models if we're to attract more women to a career in politics

Politics Home

By Caroline Nokes A repeated refrain in recent years has been about how we can encourage more women to get involved in Westminster politics, to get us to a 50:50 Parliament and make sure female voices are heard at the heart of Government. Much of...

Natasha Asghar said she hopes to see people from more diverse backgrounds in Welsh politics.

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Welsh election 2021: First woman of colour elected to Welsh Parliament

The first woman of colour elected to the Welsh Parliament said she wants to inspire and be "a voice" for those who have faced barriers entering politics. Conservative MS Natasha Asghar said the Senedd is "very outdated" and should reflect "more...

Monday, August 31, 2020

We are horribly sexist to female politicians. Google data proves it

Wired

New data on Google searches lays bare the obstacles female politicians face in trying to connect with an electorate, especially if they’re becoming well-known for the first time. Search data gathered during four weeks of the 2019 general election...

Monday, August 10, 2020

Women political leaders key to 'more equal and caring societies'

Kings Collage London

When women take part in politics, the whole of society benefits. That is the main finding of a new report from Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London. The report comes as many...

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Women in politics face 'daily' abuse on social media

Women in politics have spoken of their experiences of dealing with sexism and hatred on social media while voicing their political opinions. Gender equality charity Chwarae Teg said it feared a growing number of women were being put off standing for...

Friday, February 07, 2020

When it comes to women in politics, numbers matter – but policies matter even more

Independent

By James Kirkup, Predicting reshuffles is a mug’s game, but few at Westminster will be surprised if next month’s shake-up of ministerial jobs sees several women leave the cabinet. Justly or otherwise – and such things are rarely fair – the current...

Monday, January 13, 2020

Women still missing from top ranks of business, politics and law

Financial Times

Men still dominate the most senior roles in public life and the UK is “generations away” from achieving gender equality, according to a report published on Monday. The 2020 Sex and Power Index compiled by the Fawcett Society, a charity campaigning...

Friday, January 03, 2020

Women in politics have brought about hope in a time of turbulence

Grazia

By Jess Phillips, A picture at the recent NATO summit in London showed the Queen surrounded by leaders of powerful international allies. Of the 31 world leaders, six were women. Men in dark suits took up the rest of the space, and women around the...

Friday, November 29, 2019

Women have been a lot less visible in this UK general election campaign – why?

The Conversation

Every general election is haunted by the ghosts of campaigns past. The most significant spectre in 2019 has to be Nancy Astor, who on December 1 1919 was the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons as an elected member of the UK...

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Women MPs say abuse forcing them from politics

MPs have increasingly become the target of abuse - and some women politicians say they are bearing the brunt of it. Labour MP Rachel Reeves - who has written a history of women in Parliament - recalls how the first female MP to take up her seat,...

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Why is it so hard for Labour to find a woman to be leader?

The Guardian

By Suzanne Moore, On Sunday night, I may have watched some men in suits talking nonsense. I may have been in the pub. I may have fallen asleep because the Tory-leadership candidate who is actually going to win couldn’t be arsed to turn up. Such is...

Friday, November 23, 2018

Women outnumber men at Westminster on #AskHerToStandDay

The Guardian

Hundreds of women from all walks of life descended on Westminster on Wednesday, to mark the moment women first got the right to stand for parliament 100 years ago. At the final count, 317 women came to the Houses of Parliament to visit 238 MPs as...

Tuesday, November 06, 2018

Women MPs of the world conference: Strengthening visibility, driving change

To mark the 100th anniversary of the first women in this country winning the right to stand for election to parliament, the House of Commons will host the first ever Women MPs of the World Conference on Thursday 8th November. MPs have agreed it will...

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Report / White Paper

Women, Power, Politics: What has changed in the last 100 years in the UK and beyond?

The British Council

Given that 2018 is the centenary of some women gaining the vote in the UK, the British Council has commissioned this research to map and understand the key developments in women’s role in politics in the UK and around the world over the last 100...