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It's a terrible job spec, so how can we encourage more women to become MPs? It's a terrible job spec, so how can we encourage more women to become MPs?
(17 days later)
A company offers you a job with the following terms and conditions. You’ll spend several nights away from your family every week and your kids may get bullied at school. There are no working hours as such, just an expectation that you’ll always be available to be in one building at wildly anti-social times. There is no transparency in promotion. Colleagues will drip anonymous poison to journalists. And you’ll be at risk of behaviour that would be seen as gross misconduct in any other workplace, but here more experienced colleagues explain that people chanting about your breasts is just “one of those things”.A company offers you a job with the following terms and conditions. You’ll spend several nights away from your family every week and your kids may get bullied at school. There are no working hours as such, just an expectation that you’ll always be available to be in one building at wildly anti-social times. There is no transparency in promotion. Colleagues will drip anonymous poison to journalists. And you’ll be at risk of behaviour that would be seen as gross misconduct in any other workplace, but here more experienced colleagues explain that people chanting about your breasts is just “one of those things”.
This is the unseen life of Westminster, meaning the real question is less “why won’t more women enter politics?” and more “why would they?”. Being a member of parliament is potentially one of the most rewarding - and certainly one of the most important - jobs in the United Kingdom, so how can we design a politics that recruits and retains more female talent?This is the unseen life of Westminster, meaning the real question is less “why won’t more women enter politics?” and more “why would they?”. Being a member of parliament is potentially one of the most rewarding - and certainly one of the most important - jobs in the United Kingdom, so how can we design a politics that recruits and retains more female talent?
The first issue is that the pipeline is too narrow. The majority of MPs, members of the Scottish and European parliaments and Welsh assembly were councillors first. Since only 12.3% of council leaders in England are women, and only a third of councillors as a whole, it is hardly surprising if the gender imbalances of town halls are replicated in other chambers.The first issue is that the pipeline is too narrow. The majority of MPs, members of the Scottish and European parliaments and Welsh assembly were councillors first. Since only 12.3% of council leaders in England are women, and only a third of councillors as a whole, it is hardly surprising if the gender imbalances of town halls are replicated in other chambers.
It is important to note too that the routes to office are different for each political party. The Guardian highlights that Conservative candidates in winnable seats are more regularly drawn from business and the military, while Labour candidates are much more likely to have worked in Westminster for a politician or a thinktank. Each of these sectors has a long way to go to achieve gender parity and as long as politics continues to recruit from male-dominated training grounds, it will remain primarily a man’s game.It is important to note too that the routes to office are different for each political party. The Guardian highlights that Conservative candidates in winnable seats are more regularly drawn from business and the military, while Labour candidates are much more likely to have worked in Westminster for a politician or a thinktank. Each of these sectors has a long way to go to achieve gender parity and as long as politics continues to recruit from male-dominated training grounds, it will remain primarily a man’s game.
For those women who do make it through the clogged-up pipeline, the statistics around promotion are not encouraging. We have a terrible habit in British politics of letting ‘first’ become ‘only’, as happened with our first female prime minister and foreign secretary. We are yet to see a single female chancellor or secretary of state for defence.For those women who do make it through the clogged-up pipeline, the statistics around promotion are not encouraging. We have a terrible habit in British politics of letting ‘first’ become ‘only’, as happened with our first female prime minister and foreign secretary. We are yet to see a single female chancellor or secretary of state for defence.
There are two main aspects of workplace culture that are stopping women moving from the back to front benches. The first is the way in which norms of leadership replicate themselves, with those currently at the top of the pile seeing their own qualities as being those which ‘make’ a leader. Theresa May is reportedly subjected to eye-rolling when she speaks in cabinet simply because, in the words of a fellow senior Conservative: “She’s not a bloke and she didn’t go to Eton.”There are two main aspects of workplace culture that are stopping women moving from the back to front benches. The first is the way in which norms of leadership replicate themselves, with those currently at the top of the pile seeing their own qualities as being those which ‘make’ a leader. Theresa May is reportedly subjected to eye-rolling when she speaks in cabinet simply because, in the words of a fellow senior Conservative: “She’s not a bloke and she didn’t go to Eton.”
The second is the extent to which women are excluded from the factional power bases that exercise their influence during reshuffles. It’s harder to secure patronage from a senior politician if you come to politics later in life (as female MPs, particularly those who have children tend to) or have less time available to build a network propping up the bar at the Carlton Club. The second is the extent to which women are excluded from the factional power bases that exercise their influence during reshuffles. It’s harder to secure patronage from a senior politician if you come to politics later in life (as female MPs, particularly those who have children tend to) or have less time available to build a network propping up the bar at the Carlton Club.
The final major deterrent to aspiring female MPs is the hopelessly inadequate policies for women suffering sexual harassment in Westminster and the way female politicians are so often appraised by the media in a sloppily sexist way.The final major deterrent to aspiring female MPs is the hopelessly inadequate policies for women suffering sexual harassment in Westminster and the way female politicians are so often appraised by the media in a sloppily sexist way.
We all (including men) have a role in determining whether these problems are to be replicated or resisted. Here are some practical ways you can start:We all (including men) have a role in determining whether these problems are to be replicated or resisted. Here are some practical ways you can start:
At a time of such profound distrust of and disengagement with politics the very least we can expect from the political class is a desire to draw on the talents of half the country. It is time we held them to higher standards - in the service of their own interests as well as ours.At a time of such profound distrust of and disengagement with politics the very least we can expect from the political class is a desire to draw on the talents of half the country. It is time we held them to higher standards - in the service of their own interests as well as ours.
Kirsty McNeill is a strategy consultant to some of the world’s leading campaigning organisations and a former Downing Street adviser.Kirsty McNeill is a strategy consultant to some of the world’s leading campaigning organisations and a former Downing Street adviser.
@kirstyjmcneill@kirstyjmcneill
This article originally appeared in the Fabian and Compass collection Riding the New Wave: Feminism and the Labour Party edited by Anya Pearson and Rosie Rogers. This article originally appeared in the Fabian and Compass collection Riding the New Wave: Feminism and the Labour Party edited by Anya Pearson and Rosie Rogers.