Electing Women to the British Commons: Breakout from the Beleaguered Beachhead?

Abstract

Although more women were elected in the 1987 British general election than ever before, women candidates remain at a substantial disadvantage in British politics. They garner fewer votes than their male counterparts and are less likely to be elected. By applying multivariate analysis to constituency data for the 1987 British general election, we show that it is incumbency, rather than the marginality of the constituency in which they stand, that accounts for the discrepancy in votes. In addition, Labour female candidates are likely to experience lower constituency turnout, though this has no significant consequences for the Labour vote. Overall, the analysis suggests that, in the British political system at least, it is getting elected (and hence incumbency) that is the major hurdle women in politics face: once this has been achieved, they are neither more or less likely to lose votes than their male counterparts.