Women MPs & parliamentary candidates since 1945

The chart below shows the number of female Members of Parliament from each party elected in UK general elections from 1945—2010. The x (horizontal) axis shows the election year, and the y (vertical) axis the number of women who won seats.

Chart: Women MPs elected in general elections since 1945

The table below shows the number of female Members of Parliament elected in each UK general election since 1945; the percentage of female MPs; how many women were elected from each party; and the total number of female candidates standing for election.

Table showing women elected in general elections since 1945
Election year	Female MPs	%	Con	Lab	Lib	Others	Candidates
1945	24	3.8	1	21	1	1	87
1950	21	3.4	6	14	1	-	127
1951	17	2.7	6	11	-	-	77
1955	24	3.8	10	14	-	-	92
1959	25	4	12	13	-	-	81
1964	29	4.6	11	18	-	-	90
1966	26	4.1	7	19	-	-	81
1970	26	4.1	15	10	-	1	99
1974 (Feb)	23	3.6	9	13	-	1	143
1974 (Oct)	27	4.3	7	18	-	2	161
1979	19	3	8	11	-	-	216
1983	23	3.5	13	10	-	-	280
1987	41	6.3	17	21	2	1	329
1992	60	9.2	20	37	2	1	571
1997	120	18.2	13	101	3	3	672
2001	118	17.9	14	95	5	4	636
2005	128	20	17	98	10	3	720
2010	143	22	49	81	7	6	861

Note: Data for Lib Dems includes Liberal/SDP/Alliance. Candidates includes all parties
Source: House of Commons Research Papers 01/75, 05/33 & 10/36

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