Female MPs discuss barriers to women in politics

Dozens of MPs pulled no punches in expressing how tough it still is for women to get into parliament as they invited their constituents to parliament to mark 100 years since the Qualification of Women Act.

In the last century there have been 491 women MPs and more than 4,000 male MPs – meaning a gender-balanced parliament would take 50 years at the same rate.

MPs including Harriet Harman, Rosena Allin-Khan and Mhairi Black spoke on a cross-party panel addressing barriers to standing for election.

Ms Harman said: “Attitudes have changed enormously. No one would say now a woman should earn less, no one would say men should make the rules but the reality has not changed.

“We have changed the rules but now we must change the reality.”

Dr Allin-Khan, who won a by-election in Tooting in 2016, said: “I’m still paying off my by-election because 10 months after I had a general election to fight.

“I’ve had to tell the local party they have to wait for me to pay back my childcare. But if we all keep going we can effect change.”

Panellists also addressed how difficult being in public life was for women with the rise of online abuse.

Dr Allin-Khan said: “If you are a non-white woman and of a religion you will get the trifecta of abuse.

“The fact I’m a mixed race Muslim woman means I’m cannon fodder for every nutter out there.

“We have to prove we will not be cowed.

“Sometimes I call them out but I don’t reply to everyone. If anyone makes you feel in danger you go to the police.

“We didn’t sign up to this, we signed up to stand up for our constituents not to be abused.”

Ms Black said: “I am disgusted by some of the things trans women are called. One of the things I’ve been most disappointed by is women driving down women.

“I’ve always come at things from a different perspective because my experience is different to my partners.

“She might get catcalled all the time whereas I don’t but I want people to realise that with things like me too, pushing women into parliament and trans rights we have to realise gender is irrelevant.

“I’m bored of gender. I’m bored of being told I should be raped and bored of being told I’m too ugly to be raped.”

Stella Creasy said: “Some is always the word we get with equality. Some women got the vote, could stand, but I want everyone to be able to stand. Don’t give up until you get all.”

Helen Pankhurst, a women’s rights activist and great granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst, also attended the event.

She said: “Today has been fabulous. This whole year has been such an important one with the centenary of women voting and the response as citizens and it will continue until December.

“But this moment feels to me, in an anniversary year, a very important one because it is that link between citizen and representative. Demanding to be heard and to make policy.

“We are doing really wonderful things in terms of honouring and appreciating what we have done but fundamentally it comes down to ‘What next?’

“What we are understanding in terms of how far we have come and how far we have left to go.

“Today we have had MPs saying ‘there is more that needs to be done, so we will support women in our constituency in getting here’.”

Across the day of events – organised by 50:50 Parliament, the Fawcett Society and Centenary Action Group – delegates also sat in on a select committee and watched PMQs in parliament.