This briefing paper provides data on the gender, age, ethnicity and educational backgrounds of Members of Parliament elected at the 2019 General Election and how this has changed over time.
Social background of Members of Parliament 1979-2019 (1 MB , PDF)
There were 220 female MPs elected at the 2019 General Election (34% of all MPs). This was the highest ever number and proportion. In 1979 there were 19 women MPs, 3% of the total.
Since 1979, the average age of MPs has remained around 50 years. 50% of MPs elected in 2019 were aged over 50. Members aged 18-29 and those over 70 each represented 3% of the total.
In 2019, 65 MPs were from minority ethnic backgrounds, 10% of the total. This was an increase of 25% compared to 52 in 2017. In contrast, there were 4 minority ethnic MPs elected in 1987. Currently, around 15% of the UK population is from a minority ethnic background.
In the 2019 election, 46 LGBT+ MPs were elected to the commons, one fewer than in 2017. Of those 46 LGBT+ MPs, 20 were Conservative, 15 Labour, 10 SNP and one independent.
Conservative MPs elected at the 2019 General Election were the most likely to have attended a fee-paying school: 44% compared to 38% Liberal Democrat, 19% Labour and 8% SNP.
140 MPs elected in 2019 had no previous Parliamentary experience (22%). 495 (76%) had been MPs in the 2017-19 Parliament and 15 were re-elected having served as MPs further in the past.
Social background of Members of Parliament 1979-2019 (1 MB , PDF)
A Westminster Hall debate on Funding levels for diplomatic staff in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is scheduled for Tuesday 24 May 2022, from 9.30am to 11.00am. The debate will be led by Valerie Vaz MP.
An election to the Northern Ireland Assembly was held on 5 May 2022. Sinn Féin became the first nationalist party to win the most seats overall in a Northern Ireland election. The DUP lost seats, becoming the second largest party in the Assembly, while the Alliance Party had their best-ever result, becoming the third-largest party. Due to concerns about the Northern Ireland Protocol, the DUP have not taken part in the cross-community election of the Speaker of the Assembly, meaning that the Assembly cannot sit for the time being.
This list notes MPs who have left the Chamber voluntarily, been asked to withdraw, or who have been suspended.
