Aims:Aims:

•Understand how we are represented•Stereotypes•Look at women in the House of Commons•Ethnic Minorities in the House of Commons

• Britain is made up of different groups of people, e.g.

Old and young Rich and poor From different races• Each of these groups have different needs – MPS

should try to meet the needs of all these people.

• Is it really like that though?

• The stereotype of a politician would be a white middle class, middle aged man…..

• This is actually true – in 2001 most MPS were the above!!!

• In 2005 the population of women in the UK stood at 51%.

• If the House of Commons reflected this there would be 330 women MPS, however the number is only 128.

• 20% of the seats in the House of Commons.• Why is this?

Picture:All the female Labour MPS with Tony Blair.Labour have the highest number of female MPS.

• Constituency parties may be reluctant to choose female candidates.

• House of Commons seen as a male club.

• Family commitments mean working in London is hard.

• Unsociable hours make it hard to bring up a family.

• Does not provide child care to female MPS

• Career breaks after children would leave them out of politics.

• Number of British people belonging to Black or Asian minority groups is over 2.5 million.

• 5% of the population• In the House of Commons there were

15 Black or Asian MPS elected which represent 2.32% of all MPS.

• Why is this?

• Difficult for them to be selected by constituency parties.

• Racism exists at all levels of society.• Political participation and education - % of

Blacks continuing education is lower than Whites.

• Predominantly white culture in House of Commons may put Black MPS off.

• Institutionalised racist practices – often not obvious or intentional.

• Finish activities on page 11.

• Page 16 – Questions 1-6