Gavin Newlands MP calls out Tories’ poor record on female representation
Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has spoken in Parliament about the Tories’ shameful record in selecting female candidates for the upcoming local government elections in Renfrewshire and Scotland.
Only 18% of the total number Tory candidates in Scotland are female, and in four local authority areas they are fielding no women candidates at all. In Renfrewshire, only two of the twelve Tory candidates - and 23% of Labour candidates - are women, compared to the gender balanced field of SNP candidates who are contesting the local government elections in Renfrewshire on May 4th.
In the House of Commons, Renfrewshire is represented by a gender balanced team in Gavin Newlands and Mhairi Black.
Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, said:
“All political parties have a responsibility to ensure that they empower women and others to get involved and stand for election. I have championed this cause at Westminster as it’s shameful that only 30% of MPs are women.
“The Tories should be ashamed that only two of their candidates for the upcoming local government election in Renfrewshire are women. It means very little that they have women leaders in Holyrood and Westminster, when you consider that both Theresa May and Ruth Davidson have introduced and defended the abhorrent Rape Clause and benefit cuts which disproportionally affect women. With horrendous policies like this it’s no surprise that they are struggling to find female candidates.
“I am proud of the excellent gender balanced team of candidates that the SNP have put forward for the upcoming elections to Renfrewshire Council. The councillors who we elect to Renfrewshire Council should be representative of the communities that they serve and our candidates would make fantastic councillors who will always stand up for their local area.”
