How isn’t parliament representative?

  1. DESCRIPTIVE
  • The Lords is not only undemocratic, but also unrepresentative.
  • As of March 2017, there were 207 female Peers in the House of Lords, 25% of the 794-sitting total, up slightly from 181 in 2012.
  • A report released by Parliament in June 2016, claims that there are only 51 ethnic minority members of the House of Lords (6.4%) compared with roughly 13% of the population.
  • 2019: 220 female MPs (34% vs 51% UK), 65 BAME MPs (10% vs 14% UK), 45 LGBT MPs, 27% went to independent schools (vs 6.5% UK), 21% went Oxbridge.
  1. MPs
  • The ‘Audit of Political Engagement’ (2007) showed that- 41% of people were satisfied with their local MP and 12% dissatisfied. When asked about MP’s in general, 30% were satisfied and 37% dissatisfied.
  • Issues with debates.