Prime Minister Backs 50:50 Parliament Campaign
Imogen Jones
Enabling teams to deliver value | CSP-SM | Mental Health First Aider | PSMII
Last week the Prime Minister released a video calling for a 50:50 Parliament. He said that there needs to be a massive recruitment drive to get more women elected to Westminster. It is fantastic to have the PM’s support for our cause! See Boris Johnson’s message here:
50:50 Parliament Founder & Director, Frances Scott, said: “This feels like a historic moment. We have never before heard a Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader publicly state their support for equal representation of women at Westminster. We want women to have equal seats and an equal say on all policy matters. Our campaign wants to build a better democracy and his support for our mission is a game-changer for British politics.”
The story was covered by Sky News and The Times.
50:50 has come a long way since it was founded in 2013 and the launch of #AskHerToStand in 2016. Now 1,800 women have clicked #SignUpToStand on the 50:50 website and started on their journey to elected office. During the 2019 general election, 50 women who were part of the 50:50 #SignUpToStand programme were selected as candidates and 9 went on to win seats in the Commons. However, with only 220 women out of 650 MPs in the Commons, there is still a long way to go. Another 105 women need to win seats for women to have equal seats and equal say.
This is where you come in!
We need your help to inspire wonderful women to stand for elected office!
If you know a woman who you think would make a great MP then ask her to #SignUpToStand with 50:50, and keep on asking her. Women need to be asked three times before they will consider it.
Or maybe you are one of those wonderful women who would like to take the plunge into politics then #SignUpToStand today.
By signing up to stand with 50:50 Parliament, you’ll be supported every step of the way to getting selected and elected. 50:50 send every woman who comes to #SignUpToStand their own interactive personal political profile, they are allocated a 50:50 buddy and invited to weekly, party-specific meetings. Women from minority groups are offered additional bespoke support should it be required.
50:50 work with all the political parties to empower women.
With upcoming elections in both 2021 and 2022, now is the perfect time to sign up to stand.
50:50 want to have 2,020 women signed up by the end of 2020.
So please keep looking and asking, we certainly will!
Elections in May 2021
England
- London Mayor and 25 members of Greater London Assembly.
- Combined and Single Authority Mayors in 12 areas.
- County Councils in 24 regions.
- Local Authority Councils in 160 areas.
- Police and Crime Commissioners across 40 regions in both England and Wales.
Wales
- Police and Crime Commissioners across 40 regions in both England and Wales.
- Welsh Senedd across 60 seats.
Scotland
- Scottish Parliament across 129 seats.
Find out more about the elections happening in 2021 in your area here.
Elections in May 2022
England
- Local Government, including 32 London Boroughs.
- Sheffield Metro Mayor.
Wales
- Local Government
Scotland
- Local Government
Northern Ireland
- Local Government
About 50:50 Parliament
50:50 Parliament helps women get selected and elected with our #AskHerToStand and #SignUpToStand campaigns.
In the 2019 UK general election, 50 of the women standing were part of 50:50 and 9 went on to win seats in the Commons.
We work with all the political parties to empower women into politics.
When women #SignUpToStand we help them build their Personal Political Profiles and allocate “buddies” building a New Girls Network, women supporting women, along the path to Parliament.