‘How to tackle the problem is controversial’

The Electoral Reform Society points out that although women have had the right to vote since 1918, only 364 women have ever sat in the House of Commons – a mere 7.4 per cent of all those elected to Westminster – and more than half the constituencies across the UK have never had a female MP.

The Scottish Parliament did a bit better – at least to start with. Women accounted for more than 37 per cent of MSPs in the first parliament in 1999 and nearly 40 per cent of those elected in 2003. But the 2007 election saw female numbers slump to one-third and last year they recovered only slightly to 34.8 per cent.

The picture at the City Chambers is even worse. Despite having had a female council leader for the past five years in Jenny Dawe and several other women in key roles, only 27.5 per cent of current councillors are female. And disappointingly, women make up less than a quarter of the candidates standing in next month’s council elections in Edinburgh.

It is of vital importance that the councils and parliaments making decisions on behalf of the whole community should reflect that community. Such an imbalance in the number of men and women in places of power cannot be healthy for a democratic society.

How to tackle the problem is controversial. Labour has used special measures, like pairing constituencies or all-women shortlists, to improve gender balance – one of the main reasons that first Scottish Parliament had so many women. The Conservatives have set their face against such arrangements, insisting candidates should be chosen “on merit”. Liberal Democrats say they have put systems in place to support and encourage women to come forward.

The small number of female candidates standing this time suggests more needs to be done. If women are not fairly represented, everyone loses.

On the cards

It’s the posties you feel sorry for. Thousands of postcards are being sent out to Leith so residents can report cases of the Seafield stench.

Going by anecdotal nostril evidence it might just be one of the city council’s most effective mailshots ever. While the move has been dismissed as “tokenism” by some, it does at least show that the powers-that-be are continuing to take the issue seriously. At the same time, however, it must be followed up with tougher action if the situation does not improve.

The extra work for the posties will be worth it if it means they don’t have to hold their noses on their rounds.