UKC

MPs and gender and ethnicity imbalance

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 Bottom Clinger 16 Mar 2021

On the premise that “Change needs to start at the top”, * is it time for a fundamental rethink of how we choose MPs?  Specifically thinking about issues around race and gender. The tory party have a worse gender imbalance than the police (87 women MPs out of 365). If MPs reflected the wider population there should be 93 MPs from minority ethnic backgrounds - the tories have 22.  

I have to admit to not having a clue how this could be done. Perhaps in a  percentage of constituencies you have to field two candidates (of mixed gender and race) and if you win that constituency you have to deselect one MP to get the balance addressed. 
 

* clearly the top down/bottom up approach is best but we need change at the top. 

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 Jim Lancs 16 Mar 2021
In reply to Bottom Clinger:

You're right and the fastest way to do it would be to hold a ballot (must be done democratically of course) and send the requisite number of chosen Tory MPs off for gender realignment surgery and genetic modification.

Not only would this allow all quotas to be met ASAP, but would afford unequalled opportunities for the lucky modified ones to experience a breadth of life experience so far denied them in their cosseted lives to date. Jacob Rees Mogg is never going to empathise with the challenges of being an Asian single mum unless we make him one. 

 Yanis Nayu 16 Mar 2021
In reply to Bottom Clinger:

Are you seriously claiming there are only 2 genders?

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 summo 16 Mar 2021
In reply to Bottom Clinger:

The key is not having every job, committee, boardroom etc 50/50 male and female, it's having equal opportunity and accepting that where ever the ratios land it's through personal choice alone. 

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In reply to Yanis Nayu:

> Are you seriously claiming there are only 2 genders?

Whoops...

In reply to summo:

> The key is not having every job, committee, boardroom etc 50/50 male and female, it's having equal opportunity and accepting that where ever the ratios land it's through personal choice alone. 

Whilst I get that, I do think we need a more representative balance but fear the tories, who will most likely win the next election, are so ‘old school boys Etonian chum’ don’t think this, so fundamental change will be toooo slow 

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 Martin Hore 16 Mar 2021
In reply to summo:

> The key is not having every job, committee, boardroom etc 50/50 male and female, it's having equal opportunity and accepting that where ever the ratios land it's through personal choice alone. 

In principle I agree, but it's hard to create an equal opportunity society when those making the rules have a vested interest in not doing so. 

Proportional representation would help in evening up things in parliament. Much more chance for the currently under-represented to gain representation (as well as many other benefits of PR). 

Martin 

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 mcdougal 16 Mar 2021
In reply to Jim Lancs:

> ....fastest way to do it would be to hold a ballot (must be done democratically of course) and send the requisite number of chosen Tory MPs off for gender realignment surgery and genetic modification.

I love this. We could get them reprogrammed and upgraded to human status while we're at it.

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 summo 16 Mar 2021
In reply to Martin Hore:

Who are the under represented? You mean sex, race, ethnicity, education? 

The problem is why would anyone capable go into politics? The salary relative to a high performers elsewhere isn't great, you are hounded by the press and public, your home and private life cease to exist etc... any talent wisely gives uk parliament a wide berth, there's a pretty toxic culture around uk politics. 

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 mondite 16 Mar 2021
In reply to Bottom Clinger:

> I have to admit to not having a clue how this could be done. Perhaps in a  percentage of constituencies you have to field two candidates (of mixed gender and race) and if you win that constituency you have to deselect one MP to get the balance addressed. 

Which would need a complete rewrite of how our political system works since you vote for the person not the party.

For the tories imbalance I do wonder how out of balance they are compared to their constituency make up.

 pec 16 Mar 2021
In reply to Martin Hore:

> Proportional representation would help in evening up things in parliament. Much more chance for the currently under-represented to gain representation (as well as many other benefits of PR). 

It might not. The European parliament is broadly elected by PR but only has 24 MEPs of colour out of 705.

https://www.europeaninterest.eu/article/meet-national-racial-minorities-new...

There were 7 UK MEPs of colour, more than any other country and 14 EU countries have non so we are actually ahead of the field in our selection of politicians.

In National governments the picture is similar, reading through this gives comparisons of various countries (it's not just about Spain)

https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2016/02/22/inenglish/1456150941_431026.ht...

 off-duty 17 Mar 2021
In reply to summo:

> Who are the under represented? You mean sex, race, ethnicity, education? 

> The problem is why would anyone capable go into politics? The salary relative to a high performers elsewhere isn't great, you are hounded by the press and public, your home and private life cease to exist etc... any talent wisely gives uk parliament a wide berth, there's a pretty toxic culture around uk politics. 

Much as I'm not a fan of politicians - I'm not a fan of the suggestion that the only motivating factor and the only means of attracting "high performers" is money. 

Unless it means you are giving me a payrise, in which case I'm all for it 

 henwardian 17 Mar 2021
In reply to Jim Lancs:

> You're right and the fastest way to do it would be to hold a ballot (must be done democratically of course) and send the requisite number of chosen Tory MPs off for gender realignment surgery and genetic modification.

> Not only would this allow all quotas to be met ASAP, but would afford unequalled opportunities for the lucky modified ones to experience a breadth of life experience so far denied them in their cosseted lives to date. Jacob Rees Mogg is never going to empathise with the challenges of being an Asian single mum unless we make him one. 

It's at times like this that I get that rarest of things: A fleeting moment of wanting to turn on likes again so I can like your post.

You gave me a very good laugh and for that I thank you sir.

 summo 17 Mar 2021
In reply to off-duty:

> Much as I'm not a fan of politicians - I'm not a fan of the suggestion that the only motivating factor and the only means of attracting "high performers" is money. 

No, but MP careers are potentially short, through no fault of the individual, as party leader popularity has an impact. I bet many competent Labour MPs lost their seat when Corbyn was leader. That's why it attracts those with second or alternate incomes. 

Many senior mps are like project managers, but if they were managing the scale of projects they are privately they'd be paid more. The job doesn't always attract talent, it just attracts those who might be well meaning or ideological. 

If you are motivated, have a philanthropic mind set, could you achieve more working a business ethically like say Timpsons, or do you sacrifice all privacy and home life becoming an MP. 

 hokkyokusei 17 Mar 2021
In reply to summo:

...

> If you are motivated, have a philanthropic mind set, could you achieve more working a business ethically like say Timpsons, or do you sacrifice all privacy and home life becoming an MP. 

It's an interesting question. It does presuppose that people go into politics for philanthropic reasons.

Its also worth remembering that it's not just the actual MPs that decide to go into politics. For every elected MP, there are at least a couple of people that stood to be elected and weren't. At some point, they all made a decision to stand and for me that is raising your head above the political parapet. I suspect that the motivations of the people that stand for minor parties may have quite different motives than the people that stand in 'safe seats'.

At least, I hope my motivations were different to the stereotypical Tory that won in 'my' seat in 2019!

 summo 17 Mar 2021
In reply to hokkyokusei:

I'm sure motivations are really a blend, but there has to be something driving them. The $hit and hassle any MP gets, for simply trying to improve things is appalling at times. Any MP likely just wants make things better, it's only the means to achieve it which separates them. 

 hokkyokusei 17 Mar 2021
In reply to summo:

You get shit and hassle just for even standing.


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