Britain elects record number of female lawmakers in 2019 election

LONDON: A record number of women were elected as lawmakers in Britain`s general election, with women`s rights campaigners on Friday cheering the result but saying progress towards equal representation must speed up. Women now represent just over a third of all members of parliament (MPs), taking 220 seats out of 650 in Britain`s lower house compared to 208 in the previous election, after a dramatic night that saw the ruling Conservative party make major gains.

One seat was yet to declare a result on Friday afternoon. "More women MPs than ever before is very welcome but we are inching forwards, up from 32% to just 34%," said Sam Smethers, the chief executive of women`s rights group the Fawcett Society.

"Instead of congratulating ourselves for extremely slow progress let`s see a commitment from all the political parties to action to make the step change that is needed. It is time for equal power." 

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Parties are facing growing scrutiny over the diversity of their candidates, but women`s campaigners say toxic politics and high levels of gendered abuse are driving away female MPs.

Two thirds of female lawmakers told a survey by parliament`s Women and Equalities Committee in November that progress on tackling violence and online abuse against women in politics impacted their willingness to stand for re-election.

A number of female candidates chose not to stand again in the Dec. 12 election, with several citing the level of abuse they had experienced in the role as a factor.

The rise in representation largely came from a boost in female MPs for the ruling Conservative party although only about a quarter of its seats are filled by women.

Meanwhile, the left-wing Labour party was left with a majority of female MPs - 104 to 98 men - after a night which saw it suffer heavy losses.

At the current rate of progress it will take decades to reach equality, said campaigners at the 50:50 Parliament group, which has run a campaign to encourage more women to stand for election to parliament.

"Clearly much more work needs to be done to build a better democracy that draws upon the talent and experience of the 32 million UK women," said the group`s director Frances Scott.