Lee's random blog

The new Liberal Democrat/Conservative coalition government has four women in its cabinet.  This is a very small number and does not compare well with other countries. But, much as the commentary would have you believe, this is not a simple issue to fix. Broadly, there are three areas that need to be looked at in order to increase the number of female MP’s.

1. Encouraging more women to come forward to stand as MP’s.

There is research from the US (applicable here) that shows that women need to be encouraged to run for public office rather than going for it themselves. There are several reasons for this, confidence being one, culture being another. (Yes I know there are examples of women who come forward but this research shows a tendency).  Addressing this would require a campaign not unlike an election campaign, reaching women in their homes and social lives.  We would need to expand the scope of  the political parties campaigns for increasing the numbers of female MP’s and empower them with budget to get out and about, round the country to encourage women to stand.  Now that the Lib Dems are in government we might find money for increasing the work that the Campaign for Gender Balance does.

2. Changing the perception of women as leaders in the party, in politics and in society.

This is even trickier.  Research shows that people automatically  think of a man when you use the word ‘leader’.  Our concept of leadership is masculine, which obviously makes it harder for a women to get elected, promoted within a company etc.  They have to work a lot harder to prove that they can lead, rather than it being assumed they can, the position men find themselves in.  (Yes I know there are examples of the opposite… etc)  The solution here is, paradoxically, to create role models of female leaders.  We need to develop and promote the female MP’s we have to be seen more obviously as leaders.  We need to actively encourage local parties to do the same and we need to encourage the media to run stories that portray female leaders in a positive light.  Less of the shoes and handbags stories about female MP’s and more about what they actually achieve in their roles.    This will make it easier for women to come forward to stand because they can see they will get recognition and will decrease the numbers of female MP’s leaving due to being constantly harangued by the press.

3. We need to change the nature of the job of MP.

It’s currently set up for a man.  Well, really for a person who has someone else at home looking after the kids and house full time. That tends to still be men. If a woman wants to be an MP, currently she has to fit into this mould. Hence the data showing that there are few mothers in parliament.  If we are serious about making room for women, then we need to understand that women bear the burden of raising our future generations.  We need to make it possible for them to do this (and dare I say for men to be able to do this too) and still become MPs.  We need to work out what parliament would need to look like for women to be able to contribute their thinking and their time, as well as taking care of community and family.  This is not a simple task and yes, is the redefinition of gender roles in society but it is basically what needs to happen.

So, you see, we should not moan about the numbers of women we currently have in parliament without a recognition of the deep systemic issues affecting a women’s chances of being successful at the job.  I’m up for changing this and will be making an offer to the Lib Dem/Conservative government to that effect.

Photo by Mike Baird on Creative Commons

By now you will have seen that India’s parliament approved a bill on Tuesday 9th of March to reserve a third of all state legislature and parliamentary seats for women.  You would think from reading the UK press that this is an exceptional move but actually around 40 nations have some form of quota system in place for increasing the percentage of female MP’s.  The UK as a whole does not advocate the use of quotas, although the Labour Party has used this fairly unpopular device for a number of years, which resulted in the UK briefly rising the global chart after the 1997 election.  The UK currently ranks as 73rd out of 187 in terms of the percentage of female MP’s, behind countries such as Uganda, Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan.  We still fare better than the USA, which has 16.8%, and India which currently has only 10.8% female MP’s, hence the need for quotas.

Those that oppose the idea of quotas often appeal to meritocracy as an ideal for the selection and election of our members of parliament.  They say that to introduce quotas is to give women an unfair advantage and that they should be able to get elected on their own merits.  In fact some argue that the women that are selected using this method are less worthy than potential male candidates that could have occupied that space.  What can we say in response to this argument?

Meritocracy is of course something to aim for.  In an ideal world, female candidates for office would be assessed alongside men fairly and equally on their merits.  That seems logical.  The question is not so much is this happening or not, but ‘what criteria are being used?’ Just what is merited? Much has been written elsewhere on the different styles that men and women display when leading and the benefits that both styles can have on a business environment. It’s recognised in the business world that having women take part in the running of your company with drive tangible benefits. This information needs to be passed on to and fully understood by the selection committees of our political parties and to the British media who routinely scorn female MP’s.

However, that aside (and it will be explored more fully later), I wonder what else is at play in producing the UK’s disastrous results in female political representation.  We may see a reflection of ourselves in India. The Economist featured a piece this week on Gendercide, the murder of girl babies due to a preference for boys. I’m not talking about abortion as murder, I mean the actual physical murder of female babies when they are born.  This happens widely in India, and in other countries, as well as there being a large rate of abortion of female foetuses. The Economist article explains that this is causing a problem in China, as the large numbers of men are now unable to find wives and crime levels are rising due to the unchallenged masculine energy.

In the UK we do not sanction the killing of any babies and lets be thankful for that but I wonder what vestiges of this preference for the male over the female we still hold in our psyches.  When we judge female leaders on ‘merit’ are we actually holding up the male version of leader as the ideal? When we assess a women for the job of politician are we actually assessing her against men that can do the job of being available 24/7, with support at home, with no direct caring responsibilities for the family, with an ability to compartmentalise thoughts and feelings?  Are we deeply preferencing men when we choose our leaders?

I think that the percentages of female leaders in business and in politics speak for themselves. The cost of equality is giving up the idea that men are more worthy than women. In India and China giving up this belief would save lives. In the UK it would open up our power structures to women and enable them to make the contribution they are capable of making, for the benfit of the country and our future generations.

(Photo by handmadebymaria, CC)

Revealed: David Cameron’s ‘Obama Army’, ready to change the face of the Conservative Party

Only the Daily Mail could make such a positive move by the Conservatives into a cringe-worthy headline.  Rather than trying to present the stream of usual suspects the Tories have actually decided to put forward women and black and ethnic minority candidates at the next election just a few months away.  As Conservative spokesman says:

‘We could not carry on presenting a line-up of largely male, middle-aged, white men in pin-striped suits.  The new candidates look much more like the country as a whole. If we want to represent modern Britain, we have to look and sound like the best of modern Britain.’

This is great news and if the Tories win with the candidates they are putting forward we may see up to 80 women, from a current 18 and maybe as many as 19 ethnic minority MP’s.  Of course, it’s about time that this happened for a number of reasons.  Partly because the country is not made up entirely of white men and should not be represented by such.  Can a white male from Oxbridge really understand what it’s like to be a black woman in Scotland or an Asian single father in Bradford?  No, they can’t and they can’t be expected to either.  We see the world from our own perspective.  White men are totally necessary to represent white men and to argue for their particular perspective and way of life.  However, there are other views and those need to be argued for too, hence the need for our MP’s to represent the community, the totality of the UK.

The other reason to have a diverse set of MP’s in Parliament is that the culture of the place – the hours, the conditions, the mood, the norms – will be set by the dominant group.  Currently that is white men with wives at home and has been for hundreds of years.  Whilst that is not a bad thing in and of itself, what happens is that their culture becomes so pervasive that it’s exclusive to anyone not fitting the bill.  Traditionally the hours are long – voting often occurs at 11pm.  That pretty much rules out anyone who wants to have a family life from taking the job.  Do we really want to have our laws set and policies decided only by people that don’t want to have a family life?  There is a shooting range in the House of Commons but not a crèche.  Though this error is hopefully being rectified this year it really does point to the priorities of the place.

However, really we need to understand something about women and black and ethnic minorities – they might actually be useful as MP’s. I know this is radical to some.  After all, there is a pervasive strand of thinking in UK culture that leadership really is a mans job.  We shouldn’t blame anyone for this, it’s been men leading for a long, long time and we have a lot to thank them for.  What we can blame people for is not wanting to move on, to open their eyes to what is around them.  Women now constitute 60% of University graduates in Europe and North America.  According to gender specialists 20-First, By 2010, just 25% of the UK’s full-time workforce will be white able-bodied men aged under 45.  We cannot waste this talent at any level of society and so we must include them as MP’s.

But there is nothing stopping women from becoming MP’s, people regularly say.  Yes, it is ‘possible’ for women to become MP’s.  It must be because we have some.  But that is not the same as the job being one that women would want to take and feel comfortable and supported in or that they can easily gain.  And we know from the business world that if people are supported and valued we get the best out of them.  If we are going to face the challenges that the next 20 years are bringing our way – water shortages, fuel shortages, a declining population, increasing debt and dwindling pension resources – we need the talent of the country to be leading us and that is no longer simply white men.  Women currently have to fight for themselves to get into parliament, against an assumption that it’s actually men that would make the best MP’s.  This is short-sighted nonsense. Headlines like the Daily Mails attempt to embed this view, that the only reason the parties are selecting non-white male candidates is some form of political correctness gone mad or simply an attempt to win the election.  White male selectors will recognise white men as the best candidates, because it’s human nature to pick your own.  And thus the status quo continues ad nauseum.  So what we have to overcome are stupid headlines like the Daily Mail’s when parties are actually trying to make a positive move forward and this so called truth espoused by the parties themselves.

“Mr Gove’s (Shadow Schools Minister) document candidly admitted that the reason local parties often chose white males was ‘because they tend to be the best people on offer’.”

(Photo by psd, under Creative Commons, artist not connected with views expressed above)

What do I have to do to become an MP?

This is a serious topic but lets first start with a light-hearted answer pulled off a blog:

“In practical terms, to actually become an MP, you would have to be selected by one of the major parties, which means you’d first have to be a member of one of those parties, and you’d have to have worked for them for a while – by financially supporting them, campaigning, supporting campaigns, being active on a local level. There is no hard and fast rule – having connections in the hierarchy of the party (whether that means, say, trade union connections, friendships from university and so on) doesn’t half help, I’m betting. Not having too many skeletons in one’s closet is an advantage – you might want to start clearing the really dodgy pictures off your social networking profiles and so on.”

This is pretty much spot on. But don’t worry everyone has a chance. Broadly speaking, there are a number of clear steps to take.

Step 1: Make sure you’re eligible to apply

You can apply to stand as an MP if you are at least 18 years old, a citizen of a Commonwealth Country or the Republic of Ireland, are nominated by 10 electors from your constituency and have the £500 deposit. People disqualified from becoming an MP are convicted prisoners, peers in the House of Lords, Bishops, civil servants and serving members of the armed forces. (More info, Electoral Commission Nominations Factsheet [PDF])

Step 2: Choose and join a political party

Three parties dominate politics in the UK.
The Labour Party, (355 seats in the House of Commons)
The Conservative Party, (197 seats)
The Liberal Democrats, (63 seats).

How do I choose which one to support?
The best answer someone gave to me when I asked this question was to pick the areas of politics you are most interested in, be that education, defense, the economy, health, etc and see which parties policies on that issue best match your own views. Also, being a member of a political party is a bit like being a member of a tribe. Go to a few local meetings and see which group of people seems to feel like the best fit for you. Often joining a political party is a choice for life so choose the people that feel like your tribe.

Could I get involved as an independent?
You can stand as an independent MP as long as you are eligible, as per the criteria above. Usually, independent MPs are not elected. There are only 2 in parliament at the moment. This is partly due to the nature of party politics. The voters are essentially electing a party to government, rather than individuals so standing as an independent does not serve that end. Also, candidates usually need the support of volunteers to help them run their campaign, envelope stuffing, knocking on doors, etc so being an independent is time consuming and lonely. Being part of a party gives you support, a team and access to funds to help you run your campaign. Take a look at Esther Rantzen’s campaign in Luton where she is standing as an independent MP for an idea of what this route takes.

Step 3: Figure out how to stand for that party

Conservatives (From their website)

The first step in the application process to join the Approved List of candidates is to write to the Candidates’ Department at Conservative Campaign Headquarters (30 Millbank, London, SW1P 4DP) setting out why you would like to be a candidate, and enclose a copy of your CV.

It will be helpful if you set out any work you have done in your local community, and achievements in your work or your personal life which you think would make you an effective MP. If you are chosen to proceed to the next stage, you will also need to provide details of three referees.

Once your application has been received by CCHQ they will take up references before considering you for a Parliamentary Assessment Board (PAB): This is a day long assessment by MPs and senior Party volunteers who will make the final decision about whether to add your name to the Approved List of candidates. (Please note there is a £250 fee for attending a PAB and you must have been a member of the Party for at least 3 months before you can attend.)

Preparation:

• If you have not already done so, make contact with your local Conservative Association.
• If there are any elections in the offing, be sure to volunteer to help during the campaign.
• Consider becoming a Council candidate.
• Consider your commitments to local voluntary community organisations and charities. Your involvement in these areas indicates a commitment to public service.
• Think realistically about the role of a candidate. Is it the right time for you as far as your professional and private life is concerned? Are you prepared to travel to a far flung constituency and how much time can you devote to fighting a seat?
• Understand the role and job of an MP. Browse the CWO Bookshop: MPs and Parliament.
• Consider any training needs you have as many of the skills needed by an MP can be taught, i.e. public speaking and presentation.

The Lib Dems: How To Be A Parliamentary Candidate

If you are interested in becoming a candidate or would like further information with regards to the approvals process please contact the Candidates’ Office

If you would like further information about the selection process please contact your relevant state:

• England: the English Candidates’ Office
• Scotland the Scottish Liberal Democrats
• Wales: the Welsh Liberal Democrats

Our website www.libdems4parliament.org.uk also provides more information and support for our selection process. The Campaign for Gender Balance exists to promote the election of more female MPs. The Parliamentary Candidates Association (PCA) is the voice of Liberal Democrat candidates. The PCA aims to equip individuals with the necessary skills to become approved candidates, achieve selection and win elections by providing support, advice and tailored training. More information about the PCA can be found on its websitewww.libdempca.org.uk or by contactingchair@libdempca.org.uk.

Labour

Labour Womens’ Network has an ongoing Training Programme for all women in the Labour Party who are interested in seeking selection to public office. This includes local government, the Scottish Parliament, Welsh National Assembly, the Greater London Assembly, European Parliament and Westminster Parliament. If you are a LWN subscriber we provide a ‘CV Support Service’ by email.

Our subscription for Labour Party women members is still only £15 for waged, and £5 low/unwaged. We also provide one day events, if enough women are interested in taking part, in public speaking and presentation skills, and writing a speech and, on request, training for other relevant skills. If you are interested, please contact them oncontact@lwn.org.uk

The Centre for Women and Democracy  have launched a new online survey to ask people their opinion about the Speakers Conference recommendation to introduce quotas in order to elect female MP’s.  The Speakers Conference ran for most of 2009, to look at the representation of women and black and ethnic minorities in UK politics.  Without intervention and continuing at the present rate, it will take another 212 years for numbers of female MP’s to be on a par with men.

One of the Speaker’s Conference recommendation is that: ‘if the political parties do not see an increase in the representation of women in the House of Commons at the 2010 general election, Parliament should give serious consideration to the introduction of prescriptive quotas, ensuring that all parties adopt some form of equality guarantee, in time for the following general election.’

The survey is open until the end of March and will report back in April.

Great write up in the Women Count Blog about Costa Rica electing its first female President.

“Last week history was made in Costa Rica when Laura Chinchillawas elected the first women president in the country’s history. Chinchilla won with 47% of the vote. She had served as the Vice President and had the full support of outgoing President and Nobel peace prize winner Oscar Arias.

This is a huge accomplishment not just for women in Costa Rica but for all of Latin America, which is still largely dominated by male leaders. Chinchilla has a long political history. She has served as Public safety minister, Congressional deputy, Justice Minister and of course Vice President.

Chinchilla is married with a teenage son and is a graduate of Georgetown University here in the United States.

Though women across Costa Rica and throughout the world celebrated her victory, claiming it to be a victory for all women, some women have remained hesitant. In fact some say it is more of a victory for one woman versus all women. The reason being that Chinchilla is a Social Conservative who is very vocal about her views against gay marriage and abortion.

Despite the hesitation by many women’s groups, we should still give the moment it’s proper recognition. When witnessing women succeed at breaking that glass ceiling in other countries it should give inspiration and motivation to female politicians in the United States and across the globe. If Costa Rica can break that ceiling, so can we.”

Given her politics, it’s important point to note that simply increasing the numbers of female MP’s/leaders does not necessarily guarantee that the world will be a better place.