‘Attitudinally Feminist’? The New Labour Women MPs and the Substantive Representation of Women

Abstract

In the period since the election of 120 women MPs to the House of Commons, discussion concerning their behaviour has been much in evidence. This article seeks to contribute to the analysis of whether women MPs seek to substantively represent women. It draws on qualitative interviews with more than half of the newly elected Labour women MPs. The paper demonstrates that more than two-thirds of the newly elected Labour women MPs are ‘attitudinally feminist’, one measure of whether women representatives will seek to ‘act for’ women. The article challenges, therefore, claims that women representatives have not sought feminised change in British politics.