As a new parent myself, I can see the huge barriers to mothers becoming MPs. A new group is working to break them down
- Stella Creasy is a Labour MP
“You are all the same”. In the time I have been an MP the stench of sleaze has soaked into the reputation of us all, as scandal after scandal chips away at what little trust is left in public life. As parliament contends with yet more allegations of misogyny and bad behaviour, it’s time to send in the mums.
The evidence shows that getting more women elected at all requires a high volume to stand in the first place. At the last general election, more than 3,300 people stood for election. Just 7% of those who were successful were women. Thanks to all-women shortlists (AWS), Labour can be proud compared to its opponents of its record – in 2019, 53% of our candidates were female. Yet even with AWS, the women standing are older than their male counterparts – or currently don’t have kids. We know when it comes to parents, fathers are not deterred from standing for public office, but mothers often are.
Stella Creasy is the Labour and Co-operative MP for Walthamstow
