Women in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom

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Constance Markievicz was the first woman elected to the British Parliament. Countess Constance Markiewicz-1.1.2 (cropped).jpg
Constance Markievicz was the first woman elected to the British Parliament.

The representation of women in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom has been an issue in the politics of the United Kingdom at numerous points in the 20th and 21st centuries. Originally debate centred on whether women should be allowed to vote and stand for election as Members of Parliament. The Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918 gave women over 21 the right to stand for election as a Member of Parliament. The United Kingdom has had three female Prime Ministers: Margaret Thatcher (1979–1990), Theresa May (2016–2019), and Liz Truss (2022). The publication of the book Women in the House by Elizabeth Vallance in 1979 highlighted the under-representation of women in Parliament. [1] In more modern times concerns about the under-representation of women led the Labour Party to introduce and, decades later, abandon all-women short lists, something which was later held to breach discrimination laws.

Contents

Between 1918 and 2024, a total of 693 women have been elected as Members of the House of Commons. As of July 2024 there are 263 women in the House of Commons, the highest ever. [2] This is an all-time high at 40%. The previous number was 220, set in 2019, which accounted for 35% of members elected or re-elected that year. [3] Additionally, at the 2024 general election the most female Labour MPs were elected or re-elected (190 women in total) – another instance in Labour's history that this has happened, after 119 in 2017. The female member of Parliament with the longest period of continuous service is informally known as the Mother of the House, who is Diane Abbott, following the 2024 election. [4]

Suffrage

In 1832 Henry Hunt became the first MP to raise the issue of women's suffrage in the House of Commons, [5] followed in 1867 by John Stuart Mill. Following this attempts were made to widen the franchise in every Parliament. [6]

Women gained the right to vote with the passing of the Representation of the People Act 1918 after World War I. This gave the vote to women over the age of 30. However, the Speakers Conference which was charged with looking into giving women the vote did not have as its terms of reference, consideration to women standing as candidates for Parliament. However, Sir Herbert Samuel, the former Liberal Home Secretary, moved a separate motion on 23 October 1918 to allow women to be eligible as Members of Parliament. The vote was passed by 274 to 25 and the government rushed through a bill to make it law in time for the 1918 general election. [7] This bill did not specify any age restriction, unlike the voting bill. [8] This later led to a number of incidents of women under the age of 30, who were not allowed to vote, standing for Parliament, notably the 27-year-old Liberal Ursula Williams standing in 1923. [9]

Landmarks and records

Political firsts for women in House of Commons

Records

Margaret Beckett has been the longest serving female MP in the history of the House of Commons. She was an MP for Lincoln from 10 October 1974 until 7 April 1979, and served as MP for Derby South from 9 June 1983 until 30 May 2024.

Harriet Harman has been the longest continuously serving female MP in the history of the House of Commons. She was MP for Peckham from 28 October 1982 until 1 May 1997, and served as MP for Camberwell and Peckham from 1 May 1997 to 30 May 2024. On 13 June 2017 Harman was dubbed "Mother of the House" by Prime Minister Theresa May, in recognition of her status as longest continuously serving woman MP (though she was not the longest serving MP overall, and would therefore not gain any official duties).

Female MPs with more than 25 years' service

As of 2024, there are 36 women (out of a total of 693) who have served 25 years or more service in the House of Commons, either continuously or cumulatively.

PartyNameConstituencyYear electedYear leftLength of continuous termLength of cumulative term
Labour Diane Abbott [a] Hackney North and Stoke Newington 1987 Still serving37 years, 7 months37 years, 7 months
Conservative Nancy Astor [b] Plymouth Sutton 1919 1945 25 years, 6 months25 years, 6 months
Labour Margaret Beckett [c] Lincoln & Derby South 1974 & 1983 1979 & 2024 41 years, 7 months46 years, 1 month
Speaker [d] Betty Boothroyd [e] West Bromwich & West Bromwich West 1973 2000 27 years, 4 months27 years, 4 months
Labour Karen Buck Regent's Park and Kensington North & Westminster North 1997 2024 27 years27 years
Labour Barbara Castle [f] Blackburn East & Blackburn 1945 1979 33 years, 9 months33 years, 9 months
Labour Ann Clwyd [g] Cynon Valley 1984 2019 35 years, 6 months35 years, 6 months
Change UK [h] Ann Coffey Stockport 1992 2019 27 years, 6 months27 years, 6 months
Labour Yvette Cooper [g] Pontefract and Castleford, Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford & Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley 1997 Still serving27 years, 8 months27 years, 8 months
Labour Freda Corbet Camberwell North West & Peckham 1945 1974 28 years, 7 months28 years, 7 months
Labour Gwyneth Dunwoody [i] Exeter, Crewe & Crewe and Nantwich 1966 & 1974 1970 & 2008 34 years, 1 month38 years, 3 months
Labour Angela Eagle [j] Wallasey 1992 Still serving32 years, 9 months32 years, 9 months
Labour Maria Eagle [k] [g] Liverpool Garston & Garston and Halewood 1997 Still serving27 years, 8 months27 years, 8 months
Conservative Janet Fookes [l] Merton and Morden & Plymouth Drake 1970 1997 26 years, 9 months26 years, 9 months
Conservative Cheryl Gillan [j] Chesham and Amersham 1992 2021 28 years, 11 months28 years, 11 months
Labour Harriet Harman [m] Peckham & Camberwell and Peckham 1982 2024 41 years, 7 months41 years, 7 months
Labour Judith Hart [n] Lanark & Clydesdale 1959 1987 27 years, 7 months27 years, 7 months
Labour Margaret Hodge [o] Barking 1994 2024 29 years, 11 months29 years, 11 months
Labour Kate Hoey [p] Vauxhall 1989 2019 30 years, 4 months30 years, 4 months
Conservative Elaine Kellett-Bowman [q] Lancaster 1970 1997 26 years, 9 months26 years, 9 months
Conservative Jill Knight [r] Birmingham Edgbaston 1966 1997 31 years31 years
Conservative Eleanor Laing [s] Epping Forest 1997 2024 27 years27 years
Labour Jennie Lee [t] North Lanarkshire & Cannock 1929 & 1945 1931 & 1970 24 years, 10 months27 years, 6 months
Labour Joan Lestor [u] Eton and Slough & Eccles 1966 & 1987 1983 & 1997 17 years, 1 month26 years, 11 months
Labour [v] Megan Lloyd George [w] Anglesey & Carmarthen 1929 & 1957 1951 & 1966 22 years, 4 months31 years, 6 months
Conservative Theresa May [x] Maidenhead 1997 2024 27 years27 years
Labour Siobhain McDonagh [j] Mitcham and Morden 1997 Still serving27 years, 8 months27 years, 8 months
Labour Dawn Primarolo [y] Bristol South 1987 2015 27 years, 9 months27 years, 9 months
Labour Joan Ruddock [j] Lewisham Deptford 1987 2015 27 years, 9 months27 years, 9 months
Independent [z] Clare Short [aa] Birmingham Ladywood 1983 2010 26 years, 10 months26 years, 10 months
Labour Ann Taylor [ab] Bolton West & Dewsbury 1974 & 1987 1983 & 2005 17 years, 10 months26 years, 5 months
Conservative Margaret Thatcher [ac] Finchley 1959 1992 32 years, 5 months32 years, 5 months
Labour Joan Walley Stoke-on-Trent North 1987 2015 27 years, 9 months27 years, 9 months
Conservative Irene Ward [ad] Wallsend & Tynemouth 1931 & 1950 1945 & 1974 23 years, 11 months37 years, 7 months
Conservative Ann Winterton Congleton 1983 2010 26 years, 10 months26 years, 10 months
Labour Rosie Winterton [ae] Doncaster Central 1997 2024 27 years27 years

Current representation

As of July 2024, there are 263 female MPs in the House of Commons.

Political party
Number of MPsNumber of female MPsPercentage of party's MPsPercentage of female MPs
House of Commons [15] 65026341%100%
Labour 40218646%70%
Conservative 1212924%11%
Liberal Democrats 723244%12%
SNP 9111%<1%
Sinn Féin 7229%<1%
DUP 5120%<1%
Reform UK 500%0%
Plaid Cymru 4375%1%
Green 4375%1%
SDLP 2150%<1%
Alliance 11100%<1%
TUV 100%0%
UUP 100%0%
Independent 15427%2%
  Speaker
100%0%


In February 2018 the Electoral Reform Society reported that hundreds of seats were being effectively 'reserved' by men, holding back women's representation. Their report states that 170 seats have been held by men first elected in 2005 or before – with few opportunities for women to take those seats or selections. Broadly speaking, the longer an MP has been in Parliament, the more likely they are to be male. [16] [17]

Winner's gender by number of MPs [16] [17]
MP for this seat since:TotalFemaleMale% F% M
2001 or before1432112214.7%85.3%
2005 or before2124217019.8%80.2%
2010 or before3809328724.5%75.5%
2015 or before54516737830.6%69.4%
2018 or before65020844232.0%68.0%
2019 (all MPs) [15] 65022043033.9%66.1%
2024 or before65026338740.5%59.5%

Current female Cabinet members (Labour Party)

Historic representation

2024 election

Female Cabinet members appointed after the 2024 election

2019 election

In the 2019 general election, 220 women were elected, making up 34% of the House of Commons, up from 208 and 32% before the election. [18]

As elected in the 2019 general election [18]
Political party
Number of MPsNumber of female MPsPercentage of party's MPsPercentage of female MPs
House of Commons65022034%100%
Conservative 3658724%40%
Labour 20210451%47%
SNP 481633%7%
Liberal Democrats 11764%3%
DUP 8113%<1%
Sinn Féin 7229%<1%
Plaid Cymru 4125%<1%
SDLP 2150%<1%
Alliance 100%0%
Green 11100%<1%
  Speaker
100%0%

Female Cabinet members appointed after the 2019 election

  • Suella Braverman [af] - Attorney General for England and Wales (2020–22) [ag] /Secretary of State for the Home Department (2022, 2022–23)
  • Thérèse Coffey – Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2019–22)/Health and Social Care & Deputy Prime Minister (2022)/Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (2022–23)
  • Michelle Donelan – Secretary of State for Education (2022)/Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (2022–23)/Science, Innovation and Technology [ah] (2023–24)
  • Nadine Dorries – Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
  • Baroness Evans of Bowes Park – Leader of the House of Lords
  • Amanda Milling – Minister Without Portfolio
  • Priti Patel – Secretary of State for the Home Department (2019–22)
  • Chloe Smith – Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2022)/Science, Innovation and Technology (2023)
  • Anne-Marie Trevelyan – Secretary of State for International Development (2020)/International Trade and President of the Board of Trade (2021–22)/Transport (2022)
  • Liz Truss – Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Developmental Affairs (2021–22)/Prime Minister (2022)
  • Kemi Badenoch – Secretary of State for International Trade (2022–23)/Business and Trade (2023–24)/President of the Board of Trade
  • Gillian Keegan – Secretary of State for Education
  • Penny Mordaunt – Leader of the House of Commons/Lord President of the Council
  • Lucy Frazer – Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
  • Claire Coutinho – Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (2023–24)
  • Victoria Atkins – Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (2023–24)

2017 election

In the 2017 general election, 208 women were elected, making up 32% of the House of Commons, up from 191 and 29% before the election. [3]

As elected in the 2017 general election [19] [20]
Political party
Number of MPsNumber of female MPsPercentage of party's MPsPercentage of female MPs
House of Commons65020832%100%
Conservative 3176721%32%
Labour 26211945%57%
SNP 351234%6%
Liberal Democrats 12433%2%
DUP 10110%<1%
Sinn Féin 7229%<1%
Plaid Cymru 4125%<1%
Green 11100%<1%
Independent 11100%<1%
  Speaker
100%0%

Female Cabinet members appointed after the 2017 election

  • Theresa May – Prime Minister
  • Liz Truss – Secretary of State for International Trade/President of the Board of Trade
  • Thérèse Coffey – Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2019)
  • Baroness Evans of Bowes Park – Leader of the House of Lords
  • Penny Mordaunt – Secretary of State for Defence
  • Karen Bradley – Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
  • Andrea Leadsom – Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
  • Priti Patel – Secretary of State for the Home Department
  • Theresa Villiers – Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
  • Nicky Morgan – Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
  • Esther McVey – Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2018)
  • Amber Rudd – Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2018–19)

2015 election

In the 2015 general election, 191 women were elected, making up 29% of the House of Commons, up from 141 and 23% before the election. [19]

Political party
Number of MPsNumber of female MPsPercentage of party's MPsPercentage of female MPs
House of Commons65019129%100%
Conservative 3306821%36%
Labour 2329943%52%
SNP 562036%10%
Liberal Democrats 800%0%
DUP 800%0%
Sinn Féin 400%0%
Plaid Cymru 3133%<1%
SDLP 3133%<1%
UUP 200%0%
UKIP 100%0%
Green 11100%<1%
Independent 11100%<1%
  Speaker
100%0%

Female Cabinet members appointed after the 2015 election

  • Theresa May – Secretary of State for the Home Department
  • Justine Greening – Secretary of State for International Development
  • Nicky Morgan – Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities
  • Baroness Stowell of Beeston – Leader of the House of Lords
  • Theresa Villiers – Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
  • Liz Truss – Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (2014–16)/Justice (2016–17)
  • Amber Rudd – Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change

2010 election

As elected in the 2010 general election.

Political party
Number of MPsNumber of female MPsPercentage of party's MPsPercentage of female MPs
House of Commons65014322%100%
Conservative 3064916%34%
Labour 2588131%57%
Liberal Democrats 57712%5%
DUP 800%0%
SNP 6117%0.7%
Sinn Féin 5120%0.7%
Plaid Cymru 300%0%
SDLP 3133%0.7%
Alliance 11100%0.7%
Green 11100%0.7%
Independent 11100%<1%
  Speaker
100%0%

[21]

Female Cabinet members appointed after the 2010 election

A total of 46 female ministers have held Cabinet positions since the first, Margaret Bondfield, in 1929. Tony Blair's 1997 Cabinet had five women and was the first to include more than two female ministers at one time. The highest number of concurrent women Cabinet ministers under Tony Blair was eight (36 per cent), then a record from May 2006 to May 2007. Other women have attended Cabinet without being full members, including Caroline Flint, Anna Soubry and Caroline Nokes. Some who have attended Cabinet have subsequently, or previously been full Cabinet ministers, including Tessa Jowell, Liz Truss and Andrea Leadsom.

Women Cabinet ministers 1929–present
PeriodName (Party)Image
1929–31 Margaret Bondfield (Lab) Margaret Bondfield 1919.jpg
1945–47 Ellen Wilkinson (Lab) Ellen Cicely Wilkinson.jpg
1953–54 Florence Horsbrugh (Con) Flo horsbrugh.jpg
1964–70/74–76 Barbara Castle (Lab) No image.svg
1968–69 Judith Hart (Lab) No image.svg
1970–74/79–90 Margaret Thatcher (Con) Margaret Thatcher at White House (cropped).jpg
1974–79 Shirley Williams (Lab) Regius Professorship Lecture (15648721150).jpg
1982–83 Baroness Young (Con) No image.svg
1992–97 Gillian Shephard (Con) Official portrait of Baroness Shephard of Northwold crop 2.jpg
1992–97 Virginia Bottomley (Con) Official portrait of Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone crop 2.jpg
1997–2007
(attended Cabinet 2008–09)		 Margaret Beckett (Lab) Official portrait of Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP crop 2.jpg
1997–2001 Ann Taylor (Lab) Official portrait of Baroness Taylor of Bolton crop 2, 2019.jpg
1997–98/2007–10 Harriet Harman (Lab) Official portrait of Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP crop 2.jpg
1997–2001 Mo Mowlam (Lab) No image.svg
1997–2003 Clare Short (Lab) Clare Short at the Energy Conference 2015 crop.jpg
1998–2001 Baroness Jay of Paddington (Lab) Official portrait of Baroness Jay of Paddington crop 2, 2019.jpg
2001–03 Helen Liddell (Lab) Official portrait of Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke crop 2.jpg
2001–02 Estelle Morris (Lab) Official portrait of Baroness Morris of Yardley crop 2, 2019.jpg
2001–07 Hilary Armstrong (Lab) Official portrait of Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top crop 2, 2019.jpg
2001–07 Patricia Hewitt (Lab) Patricia Hewitt.jpg
2001–07/09–10
(attended Cabinet 2007–09)		 Tessa Jowell (Lab) Tessa Jowell Cropped.jpg
2003–07 Baroness Amos (Lab) Valerie Amos DFID 2013.jpg
2004–08 Ruth Kelly (Lab) RuthKellyMP.jpg
2006–09 Hazel Blears (Lab) Hazel Blears, June 2009 2 cropped.jpg
2006–09 Jacqui Smith (Lab) Jacqui Smith crop.jpg
2007–08 Baroness Ashton of Upholland (Lab) Catherine Ashton, Head of the European Defence Agency, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy & Vice-President of the European Commission (13468295505).jpg
2008–10/24– Yvette Cooper (Lab) Official portrait of Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP crop 2.jpg
2008–10 Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Lab) BaronessRoyallPortrait.jpg
2010–12 Caroline Spelman (Con) Official portrait of Dame Caroline Spelman crop 2.jpg
2010–12 Cheryl Gillan (Con) Official portrait of Rt Hon Dame Cheryl Gillan MP crop 2.jpg
2010–12 Baroness Warsi (Con) Official portrait of Baroness Warsi (cropped).jpg
2010–19 Theresa May (Con) Theresa May (2016) (cropped).jpg
2011–18 Justine Greening (Con) Official portrait of Justine Greening crop 2.jpg
2012–14 Maria Miller (Con) Official portrait of Rt Hon Maria Miller MP crop 2.jpg
2012–16/19–20 Theresa Villiers (Con) Theresa Villiers Official Portrait.jpg
2014–16 (as Nicky Morgan)/19–20 Baroness Morgan of Cotes (Con) Official Portrait of Baroness Morgan of Cotes.jpg
2014–17/19–22
(attended Cabinet 2017–19)		 Liz Truss (Con) Official portrait of Elizabeth Truss crop 2.jpg
2014–16 Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Con) Official portrait of Baroness Stowell of Beeston crop 2, 2019.jpg
2015–18/18–19 Amber Rudd (Con) Official portrait of Amber Rudd crop 2.jpg
2016–22 Baroness Evans of Bowes Park (Con) Official portrait of Baroness Evans of Bowes Park crop 2.jpg
2016–19 Karen Bradley (Con) Karen Bradley MP 2015.jpg
2016–17/19–20
(attended Cabinet 2017–19)		 Andrea Leadsom (Con) Official portrait of Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP crop 2.jpg
2016–17/19–22 Priti Patel (Con) Official portrait of Rt Hon Priti Patel MP crop 2.jpg
2017–19/22–24 Penny Mordaunt (Con) Penny Mordaunt in 2019 (cropped).jpg
2018/19
(attended Cabinet 2019–20/23–24)		 Esther McVey (Con) Official portrait of Esther McVey crop 2.jpg
2019–24 Thérèse Coffey (Con) Official portrait of Dr Therese Coffey crop 2.jpg
2020/21–22 Anne-Marie Trevelyan (Con) Official portrait of Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan crop 2.jpg
2021–22 Nadine Dorries (Con) Official portrait of Ms Nadine Dorries crop 2.jpg
2022–24
(attended Cabinet 2021–22)		 Michelle Donelan (Con) Official portrait of Michelle Donelan MP crop 2.jpg
2022–24 Kemi Badenoch (Con) Official portrait of Mrs Kemi Badenoch crop 2.jpg
2022/22–23
(attended Cabinet 2020–21/21–22)		 Suella Braverman (Con) Official portrait of Suella Braverman MP crop 2.jpg
2022–24 Gillian Keegan (Con) Official portrait of Gillian Keegan MP crop 2.jpg
2022/23 Chloe Smith (Con) Official portrait of Chloe Smith MP crop 2.jpg
2023–24 Lucy Frazer (Con) Official portrait of Lucy Frazer MP crop 2.jpg
2023–24 Claire Coutinho (Con) Official portrait of Claire Coutinho MP crop 2.jpg
2023–24 Victoria Atkins (Con) Official portrait of Victoria Atkins MP crop 2.jpg
2024– Heidi Alexander (Lab) Heidi alexander portrait 2024.jpg
2024 Louise Haigh (Lab) Official portrait of Louise Haigh MP crop 2.jpg
2024– Liz Kendall (Lab) Official portrait of Liz Kendall crop 2.jpg
2024– Shabana Mahmood (Lab) Official portrait of Shabana Mahmood MP crop 2.jpg
2024– Lisa Nandy (Lab) Official portrait of Lisa Nandy MP crop 2.jpg
2024– Bridget Phillipson (Lab) Official portrait of Bridget Phillipson MP crop 2.jpg
2024– Lucy Powell (Lab) Official portrait of Lucy Powell MP crop 2.jpg
2024– Angela Rayner (Lab) Official portrait of Angela Rayner MP crop 2.jpg
2024– Rachel Reeves (Lab) Official portrait of Rachel Reeves crop 2.jpg
2024– Baroness Smith of Basildon (Lab) Official portrait of Baroness Smith of Basildon 2020 crop 2.jpg
2024– Jo Stevens (Lab) Official portrait of Jo Stevens MP crop 2.jpg
Women junior ministers in the Cabinet
PeriodName (Party)Image
1968–69 Judith Hart (Lab)
2007–09 Caroline Flint (Lab) Official portrait of Caroline Flint crop 2.jpg
2007–09 Beverley Hughes (Lab) Beverley Hughes 3.jpg
2007–10 Baroness Scotland of Asthal (Lab) PatriciaScotland2a.jpg
2009–10 Dawn Primarolo (Lab) Official portrait of Baroness Primarolo crop 2.jpg
2009–10 Rosie Winterton (Lab) Rosie Winterton OfficialPortrait.jpg
2014–16 Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Con) Official portrait of Baroness Anelay of St Johns, 2020.jpg
2015–16 Anna Soubry (Con) Official portrait of Anna Soubry crop 2.jpg
2018–19 Caroline Nokes (Con) Official portrait of Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP crop 2.jpg
2018–19 Claire Perry (Con) Claire perry (cropped).jpg
2020–21 Amanda Milling (Con) Official portrait of Amanda Milling MP crop 2.jpg
2022 Vicky Ford (Con) Official portrait of Vicky Ford MP crop 2.jpg
2022 Wendy Morton (Con) Official portrait of Wendy Morton MP crop 2.jpg
2022–24 Victoria Prentis (Con) Official portrait of Victoria Prentis MP crop 2.jpg
2023–24 Laura Trott (Con) Official portrait of Laura Trott MP crop 2.jpg
2024– Anneliese Dodds (Lab) Official portrait of Anneliese Dodds MP crop 2.jpg
2024– Ellie Reeves (Lab) Official portrait of Ellie Reeves MP crop 2, 2023.jpg

All-women shortlists

All-women shortlists are a method of affirmative action which has been used by the Labour Party to increase the representation of women in Parliament. As of 2015, 117 Labour MPs have been elected to the House of Commons after being selected as candidates through an all-women shortlist. [22] In 2002 this method of selection was ruled to breach the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. In response to this ruling the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002 legalised all-women short lists as a method of selection. The Equality Act 2010 extends this exemption from discrimination law to 2030.

Ahead of the 2024 general election, HuffPost reported in March 2022 that Labour stopped using all-women shortlists, citing legal advice that continuing to use them for choosing parliamentary candidates would become an "unlawful" practice again under the Equality Act. [23]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ PC. First and longest–serving female BME MP in British history.
  2. ↑ CH. The first female MP to take her seat in the House of Commons. As the wife of Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor, she was known as Viscountess Astor throughout her Parliamentary career.
  3. ↑ DBE, later GBE. She was made a life peer as Baroness Beckett, of Old Normanton in the City of Derby, in 2024.
  4. ↑ Served as a Labour MP, 1973–1992.
  5. ↑ OM, PC, Hon. FSLL. First female Speaker of the House of Commons. She was made a life peer as Baroness Boothroyd, of Sandwell in the County of West Midlands, in 2001.
  6. ↑ Wife of Edward Castle, Baron Castle. She was made a life peer as Baroness Castle of Blackburn, in 1990.
  7. 1 2 3 PC
  8. ↑ Served as a Labour MP, 1992–February 2019, then as a Change UK MP until Parliament dissolved for the 2019 general election in November 2019.
  9. ↑ Daughter of Morgan Phillips & Norah Phillips, Baroness Phillips. Mother of Tamsin Dunwoody.
  10. 1 2 3 4 DBE
  11. ↑ Twin sister of Angela Eagle, also a long-serving female MP.
  12. ↑ DBE. Served as a deputy speaker from 1992 to 1997. She was made a life peer as Baroness Fookes, of Plymouth in the county of Devon, in 1997.
  13. ↑ KC; former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and twice Acting Leader of the Opposition (2010, 2015). Widow of fellow Labour MP Jack Dromey. She was made a life peer as Baroness Harman, in 2024.
  14. ↑ DBE. She was made a life peer as Baroness Hart of South Lanark, in 1988.
  15. ↑ DBE. She was made a life peer as Baroness Hodge of Barking, of Great Massingham in the County of Norfolk, in 2024.
  16. ↑ She was made a life peer as Baroness Hoey, of Lylehill and Rathlin in the County of Antrim, in 2020.
  17. ↑ Order of the British Empire
  18. ↑ DBE. She was made a life peer as Baroness Knight of Collingtree, in 1997.
  19. ↑ DBE. First female Chairman of Ways and Means 2020–2024; Deputy Speaker, 2013–2024. She was made a life peer as Baroness Laing of Elderslie, in 2024.
  20. ↑ Elected in 1929 from the Independent Labour Party. Married to fellow MP Anuerin Bevan. She was made a life peer as Baroness Lee of Asheridge, of the City of Westminster in 1970. [14]
  21. ↑ She was made a life peer as Baroness Lestor of Eccles, in 1997.
  22. ↑ Served as a Liberal MP for Anglesey, 1929-1951, then as a Labour MP for Carmarthen, 1957–1966.
  23. ↑ CM. Daughter of former Prime Minister David Lloyd George, himself an MP for 54 years, 10 months (continuous) and sister of Gwilym Lloyd George, Viscount Tenby (himself an MP for 27 years, 11 months combined).
  24. ↑ Second female Home Secretary, 2010–16; and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 2016–19. She was made a life peer as Baroness May of Maidenhead, in the County of Berkshire, in 2024.
  25. ↑ She was made a life peer as Baroness Primarolo, of Windmill Hill in the City of Bristol, in 2015.
  26. ↑ Served as a Labour MP, 1983–2006.
  27. ↑ PC
  28. ↑ PC. She was made a life peer as Baroness Taylor of Bolton, in 2005.
  29. ↑ CH. First female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. She was made a life peer as Baroness Thatcher, of Kesteven in the County of Lincolnshire, in 1992.
  30. ↑ CH, DBE. She was made a life peer as Baroness Ward of North Tyneside, of North Tyneside in the County of Tyne and Wear, in 1975.
  31. ↑ DBE. Served as a Deputy Speaker, 2017–2024. She was made a life peer as Baroness Winterton of Doncaster, of Doncaster in the County of South Yorkshire, in 2024.
  32. ↑ On leave from 2 March to 10 September 2021
  33. ↑ Attended Cabinet meetings, but not official Cabinet minister
  34. ↑ On leave from 28 April to 20 July 2023.

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References

  1. ↑ Heater, Derek (2006). Citizenship in Britain: A History. Edinburgh University Press. p. 145. ISBN   9780748626724.
  2. ↑ "General Election 2024 results". House of Commons library. House of Commons Library. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Elise Uberoi; Alexander Bellis; Edward Hicks; Steven Browning (25 September 2019). "Women in Parliament and Government". House of Commons Library . Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  4. ↑ Pickover, Ella (5 July 2024). "Abbott hailed as 'trailblazer' as she becomes Mother of the House". Independent. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  5. ↑ "Women and the vote: Orator Hunt and the first suffrage petition 1832". UK Parliament. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  6. ↑ "Women in parliament". BBC News . London: BBC. 31 October 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  7. ↑ Samuel, Viscount (1950). Memoirs. p. 131.
  8. ↑ "Parliament (Qualification Of Women) Bill". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . House of Commons. 6 November 1918. col. 2186–2202. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  9. ↑ Cheltenham Chronicle, Gloucestershire, 8 December 1923
  10. ↑ "Women in the House of Commons". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  11. ↑ "9 facts about Constance Markievicz: Incredible Irishwoman who fought in Easter Rising and became first-ever female MP". Irish Post. 5 February 2018.
  12. ↑ Wilkinson, Michael; Mendick, Robert (25 June 2016). "Pro-EU minister Justine Greening reveals she is gay at London Pride saying 'sometimes you are better off out'". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  13. ↑ "Jewish Labour candidate: Party's antisemitism problem is 'more nuanced' than is alleged". The Jewish Chronicle. 9 December 2019. Archived from the original on 30 December 2019.
  14. ↑ "No. 45229". The London Gazette . 10 November 1970. p. 12333.
  15. 1 2 Busby, Pamela; Busby, Mattha (13 December 2019). "UK elects record number of female MPs". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  16. 1 2 Martin, George (13 February 2018). "Male MPs are 'blocking' the safe seats – forcing women to fight marginals". i . Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  17. 1 2 "Hundreds of seats effectively 'reserved' by men at Westminster, research shows". electoral-reform.org.uk. Electoral Reform Society. 13 February 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  18. 1 2 Allen, Grahame (15 January 2020). "General Election 2019: How many women were elected?". House of Commons Library. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  19. 1 2 Lowther, Ed; Thornton, Charlotte (8 May 2015). "Election 2015: Number of women in Parliament rises by a third". BBC News. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  20. ↑ "Members of the House of Commons". UK Parliament. 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  21. ↑ "Factsheet M4: Women in the House of Commons" (PDF). House of Commons Information Office . June 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  22. ↑ Kelly, Richard; White, Isobel (7 March 2016). "All-women shortlists" . Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  23. ↑ Rogers, Alexandra (7 March 2022). "Exclusive: Labour Drops All-Women Shortlists For Next General Election". HuffPost. Retrieved 14 April 2022.

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