Sexual harassment complaints in parliament are dealt with too slowly and opaquely, the chair of the Commons equalities committee has said, after concerns were raised over a former Downing Street special adviser.
Political parties must run more female candidates in a “meaningful and serious way” while not all women are “political animals”, the Oireachtas committee on children, equality, disability, integration and youth has heard.
Women MPs are exposed to daily online harassment, and social media platforms provide unlimited scope for anonymous, hostile and aggressive behaviour to be targeted at them.
In both politics and public life in the UK, women have historically been underrepresented.
A female Labour MP has reported a shadow frontbench MP to the Metropolitan police, claiming he sexually assaulted her.
Only 18 of 382 councils have minimum gender representation parity, say equality charities
As Nicola Sturgeon quits, online vitriol continues to leave female politicians fearing for their safety
Like ex-New Zealand PM, Scotland’s first minister speaks of duty to admit how ‘brutality’ of political life got to her
