Record numbers of women set to become MPs

About 30 per cent of MPs are expected to be female

Natalie Bennett, Leanne Wood and Nicola Sturgeon embrace at the end of the debate (PA)

Record numbers of women are set to be elected to the House of Commons whatever its final political complexion. About 30 per cent of MPs are expected to be female, compared with fewer than 25 per cent in the last parliament.

A total of 142 women were elected in 2010, including 81 for Labour and 48 for the Conservatives. There were seven female Liberal Democrat MPs and six from other parties. The total rose to 148 by the end of the parliament, after six by-election victories by women.

Following a drive by all of the main parties to persuade more women to stand as candidates, the total is forecast to rise to more than 190. But female representation will still be lagging behind the Scottish Parliament (35 per cent female), the Welsh Assembly (40 per cent) and the London Assembly (32 per cent). In addition, one-third of Britain’s representatives at the European Parliament are women.

An estimated 96 women were defending safe seats yesterday. In another 16 more marginal constituencies – such as Brighton Pavilion, where Labour’s Purna Sen was attempting to defeat the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas – the victor is bound to be female. A female candidate is the most likely winner in a further 80 constituencies.

The Electoral Reform Society (ERS) predicted that the female contingent would rise from 148 to 192 – the fastest rate of progress since 1997, when the number of female MPs doubled.

An increase to 30 per cent would move the UK from 56th, just behind Kyrgysztan, to 36th in the world rankings for female parliamentary representation. The table is topped by Rwanda, more than 60 per cent of whose MPs are women.

The ERS calculated that the Tories could go from a 16 per cent female parliamentary party to 20 per cent, and Labour from 34 per cent to 41 per cent. It called for all parties to “redouble their efforts to select women in winnable seats” but added: “Above all, we want to see the UK introduce a voting system that would give us a Parliament that more closely represents the people”

The Fawcett Society, which campaigns for equality, said: “Though there might be a significant increase in the number of women MPs, we will still be nowhere near parity.”