Gavin Newlands MP urges more action to make Parliament more representative
Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has urged parliamentary bosses to do more to make the UK Parliament more accessible and representative of people from all backgrounds.
The Good Parliament Report conducted research on how accessible and representative the UK Parliament was and concluded that the Commons ‘remains disproportionately white, male and elite.’
Only 29% of the MPs at Parliament are female and The Good Parliament urges more work to be undertaken to make the UK Parliament ‘truly representative, transparent, accessible, accountable and effective in all its functions.’
Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, said:
“Anyone who watches Prime Ministers Questions will see that the majority of MPs are still white males – this was confirmed in The Good Parliament report which stated that more work has to be done to make Parliament more representative.
“I see first-hand how the Parliament isn’t very family-friendly. Unlike the Scottish Parliament, the UK Parliament can often sit until 1am without warning. This makes it almost impossible for parents to arrange child care and stops many from pursuing a career in politics.
“The Good Parliament Report is an extremely important step in recognising that progress for women, families and minority groups in Westminster remains stagnant and disappointing. The UK Government must urgently take action to make Parliament more accessible and representative of the wider population.”
