On Tuesday 1st July we were proud to host Women in Parliament: How Far Have We Come and What’s Next? a joint event with the APPG Women in Parliament, bringing together MPs, campaigners and sector leaders.
Held on the eve of the 97th anniversary of equal suffrage, we heard from a cross party panel about what needs to happen in order to get to equal representation by the centenary of equal franchise in 2028. The event was expertly chaired by APPG Co-Chair Dawn Butler MP, who welcomed attendees saying ‘wouldn’t it be wonderful to get to a gender equal parliament by 2028‘.
At the event, women MPs shared powerful personal experiences of their journeys into politics. Llinos Medi MP wanted to use her story to ‘give women inspiration that anything is possible’. Mims Davies MP reminded attendees of the importance of recognising their contributions, saying, we need to ‘celebrate what we do and the unique perspectives we bring.’ Kirsty Blackman MP encouraged others to step forward and be heard: ‘If you feel your voice is not being heard then get in there—you’ve got to take that step and realise you have a voice.’
Marie Goldman MP shared insights from her work on the Modernisation Committee, outlining current efforts to improve the culture and working practices of Parliament. Ellie Chowns MP offered a clear roadmap for driving change: ‘Sort the systems, support the individuals, and use the stats.’
We were delighted to have Minister Seema Malhotra MP join the panel and share valuable insights about the government’s work in this area. She highlighted the stark fact that no Asian woman was elected to Parliament until 2010, underscoring the ongoing need to improve representation. She also spoke about her role in founding the Fabian Society Women’s Network to support more women into politics. We were also delighted to hear her restate the government’s commitment to enacting Section 106 of the Equality Act.
We were also delighted to be joined by Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith, who popped in and meet with our members and supporters.
Thank you to our sponsors Theramex UK.
