Female MPs now hold a third of all Commons seats

MORE women have been voted in to parliament at this election than ever before, with female MPs holding almost a third of all seats.
Newly elected Scottish National Party (SNP) member of parliament, Mhairi Black, Britain's youngest member of parliament since 1667. Picture:GettyNewly elected Scottish National Party (SNP) member of parliament, Mhairi Black, Britain's youngest member of parliament since 1667. Picture:Getty
Newly elected Scottish National Party (SNP) member of parliament, Mhairi Black, Britain's youngest member of parliament since 1667. Picture:Getty

Around 190 women have been elected as MPs, a significant rise on the 148 who were elected from 650 seats in 2010, when women made up 23% of the House of Commons.

The total number of female MPs is expected to be around a third, but while that would represent a record number of women it still does not reflect the UK gender divide, as more than half the population is female.

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Some areas have seen major changes in the number of women holding seats.

Newly elected Scottish National Party (SNP) member of parliament, Mhairi Black, Britain's youngest member of parliament since 1667. Picture:GettyNewly elected Scottish National Party (SNP) member of parliament, Mhairi Black, Britain's youngest member of parliament since 1667. Picture:Getty
Newly elected Scottish National Party (SNP) member of parliament, Mhairi Black, Britain's youngest member of parliament since 1667. Picture:Getty

In Bristol all four constituencies are now held by women, while in Glasgow four of the seven seats - which are all now under SNP control - are represented by women.

Scotland itself has 20 women MPs, some 34% of the total there.

Among the female winners was Tory Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, who saw a massive increase in her majority in the Loughborough constituency as she took 50% of the votes, along with defence minister Anna Soubry, who comfortably held Broxtowe for the Conservatives.

One of the big stories of the night was the success of 20-year-old student Mhairi Black, who beat former government minister Douglas Alexander, Labour’s election campaign chief and shadow foreign secretary, to take Paisley and Renfrewshire South for the SNP and become the youngest MP in the Commons since 1667.

The Conservatives have at least 65 women MPs, over a third more than 2010.

But the Liberal Democrats, who faced a humiliating night in the polls, are now without a single woman in parliament.

They previously had seven but lost a number of high-profile figures including Home Office minister Lynne Featherstone, women’s minister Jo Swinson and whip Jenny Willott.

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Conservative employment minister Esther McVey lost her Wirral West seat, being ousted by Labour by 417 votes.

Three of the main parties - the SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Greens - are led by women, with shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper likely to be one of the front runners for Labour if Ed Miliband steps down as leader.

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