The Lib Dems: the party with as many knights as women MPs

After the knighting of Andrew Stunnell, the party now has seven knights and seven women MPs.

Following the knighting of Lib Dem MP Andrew Stunnell last week, shadow leader of the House Angela Eagle made a sharp observation at today’s business statement: the party now has more knights on its benches than women.

Eagle slightly overstated matters; there are in fact as many knights (seven) as women, but the stat is still striking. Here are the knights (one for “every day of the week”, noted Bob Russell)

1. Sir Alan Beith

2. Sir Malcolm Bruce

3. Sir Menzies Campbell

4. Sir Nicholas Harvey

5. Sir Bob Russell

6. Sir Robert Smith

7. Sir Andrew Stunnell

And here are the women:

1. Lorely Burt

2. Annette Brooke

3. Lynne Featherstone

4. Tessa Munt

5. Jo Swinson

6. Sarah Teather

7. Jenny Willott

Just 12.3 per cent of the party’s 57 MPs are female, compared with 31 per cent of Labour MPs (the only party to use all-women shortlists) and 16 per cent of Tories. And the situation could be even worse after the next election.

Back in 2011, research by the Fabian Society showed that five of the Lib Dems’ seven female MPs, including Sarah Teather, Jo Swinson and Tessa Munt, hold seats among the party’s 12 most vulnerable, while none hold any of the 20 safest.

In addition, the two ‘safer’ seats held by Lib Dem women – Cardiff Central and Hornsey & Wood Green – are vulnerable to a Labour challenge. As Sunder Katwala noted, “both were gained in 2005 from Labour, through appeals to students and voters disillusioned with Labour over Iraq and other left-of-centre issues.” Ed Miliband’s repositioning of Labour and the Lib Dems’ support for £9,000 tuition fees and spending cuts means they will likely struggle in such left-leaning constituencies in 2015. And with even the most optimistic Lib Dem not forecasting any gains at the next election, those women who lose their seats are unlikely to be replaced. The party has been encouraging its MPs to stand for re-election in the hope that they will benefit from an incumbency factor but this strategy has the unintentional effect of perpetuating the male dominance of the parliamentary party.

Women MPs in the 12 most vulnerable Lib Dem seats

1. Lorely Burt (Solihull) 0.3%, 175 votes
2. Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset) 0.6%, 269 votes
3. Norwich South 0.7%
4. Bradford East 0.9%
5. Tessa Munt (Wells), 1.4%, 800 votes
6. St Austell 2.8%
7 = Sarah Teather (Brent South) 3.0%, 1,345 votes
7 = Somerton 3.0%
9 St Ives 3.7%
10 Manchester West 4.1%
11. Burnley 4.3%
12. Jo Swinson, 4.6% (East Dunbartonshire), 2,184 votes