Research

Chasing the female vote

Published 9 April 2010

The general election will be won and lost not just on the issues of MPs expenses or the recession but on women's equality in the workplace.

Jackie O'Reilly, professor of comparative employment, said the female vote will be more crucial than ever.

She said: "The Conservatives learned just how important it was at the last election when they failed to keep tabs with what women were doing and needing – and lost their support as a result.

"They put forward policies supporting women to stay at home when the majority of women were out working, earning to help put children through school, to pay mortgages, put food on tables or to finance holidays."

Conversely, she said, Labour's recent political dominance was largely due to their policies which helped women in the workplace, like the introduction of the minimum wage.

She said: "With 70 per cent of women now out at work and an increasing number of them mothers, achieving greater equality for women in the workplace will be a major campaign issue for all parties chasing the female vote."

David Cameron, she said, appeared to be learning the lesson – he wants to increase the number of woman MPs from the current figure of eight per cent. Labour is way ahead with 27 per cent (Lib-Dems have 14 per cent). And, she said, Cameron was being careful not to criticise the NHS which employs large numbers of women.

Jobs, immigration and how glamorous candidates' wives are, will be prominent issues in the election, she said, but many women will be swayed by the party that offers the best chance of improved equality for them.

She said: "All parties still have a long way to go. Women are still being offered different employment contracts and are not enjoying equality in the workplace."