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Dramatic gender gap revealed between Labour and Tory candidates

New openDemocracy research shows women ‘three times as likely’ to be selected for Labour target seats than for Tory ones, while Tories disproportionately field women in ‘no hope’ races.

Dramatic gender gap revealed between Labour and Tory candidates
Women MPs campaigning for better representation in parliament, 2018. | PA Images/Stefan Rousseau
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At the start of this election campaign, one piece of good news welcomed by media outlets was the record number of women standing as parliamentary candidates across the UK.

Whilst Labour was ahead – with just over half its candidates being women – the Conservatives were also standing more women candidates than ever before.

But now new analysis by openDemocracy has found a dramatic gap between the two parties.