Only a month ago, I covered the 'Improving Representativeness in Westminster'; a story of a continuing shift from a parliament once dominated exclusively by white, male, land-owning aristocracy to something which matches the demographics of the country a bit more closely. Since then, we've had a general election, and the situation has improved again.
For example, as the BBC reported, the number of female MPs has risen by a third, from 147 to 191 (out of a total 650 MPs). That's now at about 30% of MPs, as opposed to about 23% before the election. A handy graph shows how that number has increased slowly over time:
Similarly, The Guardian reported the rise of female MPs alongside the rising number of ethnic minority MPs. In the 2010 election there were 27 non-white MPs (4.2% of the total 650 MPs), rising to 42 in 2015 (6.6% of the total 650 MPs) where the current non-white demographic of the the UK is about 13%. Again, a handy graph shows how this trend is improving over time, now at over ten times the number of non-white MPs there were in 1987:
Also, new Conservative MP Alan Mak, who is of Chinese-Malaysian background, is now the first MP of Chinese descent.
Also covered in the Guardian article, the number of privately educated MPs is dropping slowly too. In 2010 the percentage of privately educated Tory MPs was 54%, dropping to 40% in 2015. Likewise, in 2010 the percentage of privately educated Labour MPs was 14%, dropping to 11% in 2015.
The average age of MPs has hovered at around the 50 mark since 1979, but in this election the youngest MP since 1667 was elected in the shape of the SNP's 20-year-old Mhairi Black.
In terms of extremist parties getting seats, much was made of the fact that the predicted UKIP surge didn't materialise, where they actually lost one of the two seats they'd won in by-elections since 2010. But this doesn't mean that other right wing parties have prospered either, as the BNP won just 1,667 votes, which is 0.3% of the 563,743 votes they won in 2010. As the BBC points out, this election even the Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol Party won 8,419 votes, while the Monster Raving Loony Party reached 3,898 votes!
In terms of general public voting, this election was the highest voter turnout this century. where 66.1% of eligible voters registered their vote (up from 65.1% in 2010, 61.4% in 2005 and 59.4% in 2001). Also, the number of 18-to-25-year-olds who voted was 58%, up from 52% in 2010 and 38% in 2005. In Scotland, the turnout was 71.1%, which is up from 63.8% in 2010.
Again, there's a lot of positive trends there, but true representativeness is by no means a done deal quite yet.
For example, as the BBC reported, the number of female MPs has risen by a third, from 147 to 191 (out of a total 650 MPs). That's now at about 30% of MPs, as opposed to about 23% before the election. A handy graph shows how that number has increased slowly over time:
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| Source: BBC News |
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| Source: The Guardian |
Also covered in the Guardian article, the number of privately educated MPs is dropping slowly too. In 2010 the percentage of privately educated Tory MPs was 54%, dropping to 40% in 2015. Likewise, in 2010 the percentage of privately educated Labour MPs was 14%, dropping to 11% in 2015.
The average age of MPs has hovered at around the 50 mark since 1979, but in this election the youngest MP since 1667 was elected in the shape of the SNP's 20-year-old Mhairi Black.
In terms of extremist parties getting seats, much was made of the fact that the predicted UKIP surge didn't materialise, where they actually lost one of the two seats they'd won in by-elections since 2010. But this doesn't mean that other right wing parties have prospered either, as the BNP won just 1,667 votes, which is 0.3% of the 563,743 votes they won in 2010. As the BBC points out, this election even the Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol Party won 8,419 votes, while the Monster Raving Loony Party reached 3,898 votes!
In terms of general public voting, this election was the highest voter turnout this century. where 66.1% of eligible voters registered their vote (up from 65.1% in 2010, 61.4% in 2005 and 59.4% in 2001). Also, the number of 18-to-25-year-olds who voted was 58%, up from 52% in 2010 and 38% in 2005. In Scotland, the turnout was 71.1%, which is up from 63.8% in 2010.
Again, there's a lot of positive trends there, but true representativeness is by no means a done deal quite yet.
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