Labour aims to have more women MPs

Parliament: Labour is hoping to boost the number of women MPs it has in Parliament at the General Election, said Minister for Women Harriet Harman.

By The Newsroom

Published 15th Apr 2010, 01:01 BST

Updated 15th Apr 2010, 01:01 BST

Labour currently has 94 women MPs but they are outnumbered four-to-one by men, she said.

"Much progress has been made by having a bigger number of women Labour MPs. We have travelled a long way but there are still big challenges ahead. The voice of women needs to be louder in Parliament."

With polls pointing towards a possible hung Parliament, the female vote is being seen as a possible decider in the run-up to the May 6 poll.

Labour has lined up women parliamentary candidates to stand in 58 per cent of seats where its MPs are standing down and hopes to see the ratio to men improve in the next Parliament.

Ms Harman, Labour's deputy leader, said her ultimate aim was to see "more or less equal numbers" of men and women MPs to make the Commons more representative of society.