Warning to new female MPs joining country’s ‘biggest boys’ club’: Record number of MPs elected

Women entering parliament for the first time after the elections should be prepared for “misogyny and abuse” when they join the country’s “biggest boy’s club”, female MPs warned.

On 4 July, a record number of women were elected: 264 female MPs will take their seats under a Labour government. That’s 40.6% of all MPs and a significant improvement on the 34.2% in 2019.

But experienced female MPs say they still face “sexism, patriarchal and archaic power structures”. A number of allegations of sexual harassment emerged in Westminster in the wake of the Pestminster scandal in 2017, and the final days of the last Tory government were marred by more allegations.

Labour’s Dawn Butler, who has been a West London MP since 2015 and has now been re-elected, said new female MPs must be prepared to “endure a lot of misogyny and abuse”, adding: “You get criticised for how you sound, how you look and what you wear.”

While entering Parliament is an exciting time, new female MPs “must expect to be overwhelmed by a whole host of rules – some of which are outdated or make no sense at all in practice”.

“They should also expect to be part of the biggest boys’ club in the country, which brings with it many challenges in being heard and respected,” she added.

Much more needs to be done to address the Pestminster culture, she said, arguing that misogyny will persist in Westminster as long as it exists in society as a whole.

“I am quite sure that with a new cohort of MPs there will also be a new cohort of pests,” Ms Butler added.

When asked what advice she would give to new female MPs, she said: “Parliament and the system can strip away many aspects of you, but if you maintain your authentic self all the time, you can always fall back on that in difficult moments. So don’t try to change yourself to fit into Parliament, because Parliament is not designed to fit into a modern working age.”

A study by the Fawcett Society, a gender equality charity, found last year that seven in 10 female MPs had witnessed sexist behaviour in Parliament over the past five years and revealed an “exclusionary” and “toxic” culture in Westminster.

MP Carolyn Harris said abuse is common online, particularly regarding MPs’ appearance, and she recently received a death threat that was reported to police.

The MP for Swansea East said she had not experienced any abuse from fellow MPs, but Westminster can be a scary place for newcomers at first.

“It’s like a maze and like Hogwarts, but your colleagues will be your best friends because they will help and support you,” she said.

Kate Osborne, MP for Jarrow and Gateshead East, advised the new female MPs to “stick together”.

“Rely on the women who are re-elected who can help. Don’t suffer in silence. You shouldn’t have to endure sexist abuse in real life or online,” she told The Independent. “(Parliament) can be an overwhelming place full of sexism, patriarchy and archaic power structures that are difficult to navigate. The government needs to help the women who are elected to clean up Parliament for good.”

Daisy Cooper, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats and MP for St Albans, had advice for newcomers to Westminster.

“There are hundreds of demands on your time at any given moment,” she said. “The advice I would give to other female MPs is the best advice I’ve ever received: take time to look after your health and spend time with friends and family.”

“You will very quickly become emotionally invested in the lives and concerns of many people, but you are of no use to anyone if you do not take care of yourself. As the saying goes, you cannot pour anything from an empty cup.”