Welcome back after the summer recess. Please everyone write to the Women & Equalities Select Committee inquiry by 12 September to explain why we cannot afford to loose any women MPs with the proposed boundary changes. Fill in the form here: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/women-and-equalities-committee/inquiries/parliament-2015/women-in-the-house-of-commons-16-17/commons-written-submission-form/ The statistics speak for themselves: of our 650 MPs, 458 (70%) are men and only 192 are women. There are still more men in the Commons than there have ever been women MPs. The Lords has around 600 men and 200 women. Women make a massive contribution to society with their paid and unpaid work, they merit fair inclusion*. Representation shapes policy. We want better gender balance at Westminster so that our Parliament draws upon the widest possible pool of talent and experience. We want the best of both, men and women, running the country together. We cannot afford to loose any of the women that are already at Westminster. Diversity leads to better decision making. It ensures more informed and balanced, policy-making on ALL issues such as the economy, defence, security, policing, health, education, welfare, foreign policy, transport, environment as well as other key issues like reproductive rights, VAWG, FGM, domestic violence, equal pay, pensions, sexism, discrimination, inclusion, maternity care, family life, caring and parenting. Please take a look at the requirements and write a submission to the inquiry by 12 September explaining in your own words why retaining our women MPs is a democratic imperative. Other campaign news is that 50:50 Parliament presented at the Feminist Solidarity Festival last weekend and received loads of support and met up with Owen Jones: https://www.facebook.com/5050Parliament/photos/a.590909254325090.1073741830.545350858880930/1087485364667474/?type=3&theater Next weekend we are going to be presenting to Girl Guiding at their Use Your Voice Conference in London. Can't wait! Keep on campaigning. Frances, Ayana, Martha, Emily, Zoe, Ruby and all #5050Parliament Team *The Office of National Statistics valued the unpaid household economy at £1 trillion in 2014. Just unpaid childcare provided by households and not included in measures of the paid economy were valued at £321 billion in 2014, emphasising the scale of some of these unpaid activities, many of which are carried out by women. https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nationalaccounts/satelliteaccounts/compendium/householdsatelliteaccounts/2005to2014