Women in the House of Commons: Background Paper

At the General Election of June 2017, 208 women were elected as Members of Parliament. Of the 87 new members elected to Parliament for the first time in 2017, 33 were women.

Since the 2017 General Election, the number of women MPs has increased to 209. The number of women currently serving in Parliament is at its highest ever, with just over three in ten MPs (32%) now a woman.

This background paper provides a breakdown by party of female MPs currently sitting in the House of Commons. It also gives a history of the campaigns to give women the vote and to allow them to stand as candidates for election. The history of parliamentary representation by women is also briefly examined.

Further information on women in Parliament, including some international comparisons, and in Government is available in the Library Briefing Paper Women in Parliament and Government (SN01250).

A separate briefing paper is available which lists all the women who have ever been elected to the House of Commons, Women Members of Parliament (SN06652).