More women than ever before are expected to stand for Parliament next month, according to new research.
At present, 1,120 (or 33.7%) of 3,322 registered candidates are women, analysis by the Press Association has found.
Just 973 female candidates participated in the 2017 general election, the BBC reports, which marked a significant drop from the all-time high of 1,033 female candidates in 2015. This record now looks set to be beaten, and quite comfortably, when we go to the polls on 12th December.
Among the major political parties, there's a pretty significant discrepancy in the number of female candidates standing. Some 333 – or 53% – of Labour's 632 candidates are women, making it the only major party with more prospective female MPs than male.
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The Green Party is fielding 204 female candidates – 40% of its 498 – and the SNP is sending 20: 34% of its 59.
The Liberal Democrats and Conservatives are fielding similar numbers of female candidates: 188 of 611 (31%) and 190 of 635 (30%) respectively. Meanwhile, 9 (or 25%) of 36 Plaid Cymru candidates are women.
Of course, it remains to be seen whether the greater number of female candidates will translate into a House of Commons with more female MPS. Following the 2017 general election, the House welcomed 208 female MPs – a record number, but just 32% of the overall total.
Equally, the higher levels of abuse suffered by female MPs is a pressing issue that's yet to be tackled. Liberal Democrat (and former Conservative) MP Heidi Allen recently wrote in her 'stepping down' letter to constituents that she had suffered "utterly dehumanising abuse" during her time as an MP.
More than 1.5 million people have registered to vote since the election was called a fortnight ago, and government figures show a surge in young people aged between 18 and 35 registering to have their say.
The deadline to register is now less than a fortnight away; if you haven't registered yet, here's everything you need to know.
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