What does it feel like to be a new female MP in our Parliament? We’ve been talking to and working with new women MPs to identify the barriers they face and ways to make Parliament more accessible.
Many of them report being deeply frustrated by archaic traditions that make it even harder for them to combine politics with caring responsibilities.
Alongside our friends at Elect Her, we have taken what we have learnt from these new MPs and submitted recommendations for immediate reforms to the Modernisation Committee.
Too many people—especially women and those with caring responsibilities—are being shut out by a system that hasn’t kept pace with the realities of modern life. For example, MPs often don’t know when or if they will get to ask a question or speak. They have to ‘bob’ up and down to catch the Speaker’s eye. And there’s no guarantee. MPs can end up spending hours sitting in the Chamber ‘bobbing’ pointlessly.
These unpredictable schedules coupled with late nights and an adversarial culture send a clear message: this isn’t for you if you have children or other caring responsibilities.
It doesn’t have to be this way. In our submission we’ve put forward practical, low cost recommendations to help build a Parliament that reflects the people it serves. We call for:
- A shift to family-friendly hours, so MPs with caring responsibilities can take part fully
- Standardised sitting hours to create more predictability in speaking times and support efficiency and participation
- An end to divisive and set-piece debating traditions to ensure respect, inclusion and genuine accountability
To still have barriers to participation that primarily impact women MPs is not acceptable in 2025. Nor is it acceptable to keep archaic traditions in place that waste all MPs' valuable time, time that could be better spent serving the needs of their constituents.
At Compassion in Politics, we are determined to see Parliament reformed so that all elected MPs can work efficiently and effectively. We cannot prize tradition above functionality and the elimination of gender bias.
If you would like to read our full submission, which includes the voices of women currently serving as MPs, head over to our website.
👉 Click here to read the full submission
With warmth and solidarity,
The Compassion in Politics Team
Image ©House of Commons