40% women MSPs, but only 22% women councillors

In stark contrast to their success in the Scottish parliament elections, women have failed to make any headway at local government level, according to provisional analysis from the 50/50 Campaign Group.  Women comprise around 22% of Scotland's 1222 councillors which means there has been virtually no change in the proportion of female councillors for the last three local elections.  This compares with the new record at Holyrood of 39.5% women MSPs.

A spokeswoman for the 50/50 campaign said:
' It is extremely disappointing to find that women are no better represented at local level after this election.  We have seen the significant impact that having a critical mass of women MSPs has made on policy at the Scottish Parliament.  It's record on violence against women, trafficking women, free personal care and gender budgetting is impressive.  It shows that the kind of positive action taken at the national level by polictical parties is needed at the local level.  Political parties need to take urgent action now to ensure that this changes at the next elections.  Another crucial aspect is the voting system, with PR at the national level helping equality groups break through and gain seats.  The 50/50 Campaign urges the Scottish executive to make improved representation a priority when they introduce reforms of local government voting system.'
East Dumbartonshire comes top of the Scottish league table with women making up around a third of its councillors.  Inverclyde has the dubious honour of being the worst-performing council at just 5% female representation (with a solitary woman out of 20).  Orkney and the Western Isles scarcely fare better at 10% each.  Of the 32 councils, more than half returned fewer than 20% female councillors.

Despite recent legislation passed by the UK government which enables political parties to use positive action to improve levels of women's representation, none of the parties have chosen to introduce positive action measures at local government level.

Dr Fiona Mackay a lecturer in politics at Edinburgh University said:
' The disappointing results demonstrate how difficult it is to make progress with Westminster-style first-past-the-post voting systems and where none of thepolitical parties takes positive measures.'

'If we take the Labour Party as an example: Labour took positive action in both 1999 and 2003 for the Scottish parliament elections and achieved 50/50representation in 1999 rising to 56% female representation this time around.  In contrast at local government level, and in the absence of any positive measures, the proportion of Labour women councillors stands at less than 22%'. 

'However there are also some puzzles with parties who do not use positive action at either level but achieve very different results.  In particular we must ask why the Liberal Democrats manage to do so well at fielding successful women candidates at local level achieving about 32% compared with a dismal 12% at Scottish parliament level.  '

' It is also the case that campaigners have tended to concentrate on the Scottish parliament and these results suggest that they should now turn their attention to the local level.'
See tables


Background Notes
  1. One of the key features of the first Scottish Parliament was the relatively high proportion of women MSPs which resulted from a sustained campaign for '50/50' by the STUC women's committee, women's organisations such as Engender and female party activists in the run up to devolution.  The campaign was recently relaunched by the STUC Women's Committee, the Equal Opportunities Commission and Engender following fears of reversals at Holyrood and the stalling of progress at Westminster and local government levels.
  2. The Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002 permits political parties to take positive measures to improve the number of women candidates they select.  For further information see http://www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/public_life/parliament.htm
  3. The provisional gender party breakdown at local government level is:Liberal Democrats 32%, Labour 21%, SNP 25%, Conservatives 24%,Independents/Others 15%.
Contacts:
  • 50/50 Campaign for Gender Equality : Lorna Ahlquist, Holyrood, Innellan, Dunoon, Argyll PA23 7SP - tel & fax 01369 830 058 - mobile 07973 917959 - email:  fiftyfiftyscot@aol.com
  • Engender : 18 York Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EP - tel 0131 558 9596
  • Equal Opportunities Commission : St Stephens House, 279 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 4JL - email:  scotland@eoc.org.uk - tel: 0845 601 5901 - fax: 0141 248 5834
  • Scottish Women's Co-ordination STUC : 333 Woodlands Rd, Glasgow G3 6NG - Group tel: 0141 337 8100 - fax 8101