Comments on Jo Christie-Smith: What should MPs look like?

"Finland use a list system and PR allows one to fo...

2007-12-24T12:38:00.000Z

"Finland use a list system and PR allows one to focus less on the individual and more on the party; no doubt if it were a first past the post system there would be more pressure on individual candidates to conform to a stereotype that is acceptable to the media and party system."

Actually (unlike for instance Sweden) we use open lists, which means that the parties can't determine which of their candidates will be elected. This means that the candidates of the same party are also competing with the other. Interestingly this seems to increasingly favour especially young women at the cost of men.

James,There are some stats from the EOC about the ...

2007-12-05T07:45:00.000Z

James,

There are some stats from the EOC about the increase in voter turn out amongst women when there are women candidates; voter turnout amongst men is not affected adversely by a woman candidate. I've also heard somewhere but never been able to find the stats to back it up that in the US, in elections to multi member wards/ constituencies parties that don't have a female candidate standing lose out votes. However, I don't have time to find the EOC stats this morning and can't post or comment (for some bizarre reason) from the office. What I'm saying is that we need to educate the selectorate about this so they don't think they're taking a risk with a woman, which many of them do.

James, it could be considered a loss to the party that you don't stand because of the perceptions around the way you dress or don't...I wasn't saying there weren't the rules for men!

I see all sorts of low level, under the radar prejudice at the local party level; I'm not saying it's rife but I think it's naive to pretend it's not there. I see it all the time, more against other women that against me; or at least that's my perception!

Linda,When I lost out on a selection earlier on in...

2007-12-05T07:36:00.000Z

Linda,

When I lost out on a selection earlier on in the year I made myself a promise that I would wear jeans to conference as it was no longer the equivalent of a 5 day job interview!!

I'm also having myself a mini rebellion by wearing my hair in its natural curly rather than the admittedly neater but a lot harder to maintain blow dryed straight.

Left Lib,Well, thank you for that; but I'd just li...

2007-12-05T07:34:00.000Z

Left Lib,

Well, thank you for that; but I'd just like to point out that I don't think Johanna Sumuvuori MP looks a shambles; I think she looks fantastic!! And don't want to go around looking a shambles...just myself!

"I would argue that the problem is less with the e...

2007-12-05T00:06:00.000Z

"I would argue that the problem is less with the electorate, who actually come out and vote more if there is a woman candidate but the ‘selectorate’…the people choosing the candidate in the first place. I don’t think they realise what an electoral asset women are and are unnecessarily small ‘c’ conservative on behalf of the voters in short I think they read voters wrong."

Really? Anecdotal evidence aside, I don't think that argument is backed up by the facts. Sure, there are people who vote against women because they are women, but there are plenty of people who - all things being equal - vote for women for the same reason. I've met plenty of them; I'm one of them!

Sure, wearing shocking pink might hurt your selection chances, but a man turning up to a hustings in jeans and a t-shirt won't help either (this is one of the main reasons I can't be bothered with getting approval myself). Overall though, if 20% of our selected candidates are women then 20% of our seats (including target ones) tend to go to women.

(Plus the the historical incumbency factor - representation of women has gradually increased but we still have a Parliamentary Party that was largely elected before 1997 when we had a much worse record of course).

But the main barrier is getting women to think of themselves as potential candidates, and this is where we get into knotty vicious circles. Until it becomes much more normal for women to be MPs, most women will simply assume that it isn't a job for them. That is the crux of the matter, not hectoring local parties (beyond perhaps encouraging them to treat selections with the rigour that they should treat a job interview).

Yes, I struggle with this. When I was on the GBTF ...

2007-12-03T23:41:00.000Z

Yes, I struggle with this. When I was on the GBTF training earlier this year I discovered that shocking pink (my favourite colour) was NOT what I should wear when trying to convince the "selectorate" (I love that description!) I was the right candidate for them. My eye makeup really had to change and shame of shame, my nails are the real disgrace! So, what to do? Well, I am done with selectorates for a while, so out come the shocking pink boots and jacket again. Part of the process is challenging the status quo, but it is a risky business. Also part of the process is constantly challenging the assumptions. So, what does an MP look like............er......a human being would be a good start!

I do not know if it is any reassurance, but there ...

2007-12-03T23:07:00.000Z

I do not know if it is any reassurance, but there are quite a number of us guys who really do not care what you wear, and do not even notice if you are wearing make up or not, and are only interested in what your opinions are.
I guess you can tell who we are as we probably look a shambles ourselves, not that we realise it unless someone points it out.

Thanks for giving me a mention.The discussion thre...

2007-12-03T22:24:00.000Z

Thanks for giving me a mention.

The discussion thread from my post has been moved onto Facebook - if you are interested message Mary Reid.