A flurry of general elections since 2015 has provoked unprecedented unrest among our parliamentary representatives. This year, two in five MPs are not seeking re-election and the picture for the Conservatives is extremely bleak.
An unparalleled 23% of Conservative MPs are calling it quits in 2024, more than the previous high of 22% of Conservatives who resigned in 1997, another year of boundary changes.
In contrast, only 15% of Labor MPs are resigning.
There are many reasons why MPs resign: from retirement, family commitments and health concerns to career changes, abolished constituencies and the prospect of defeat.
But his decision to leave could reveal a lot about life at Westminster and have a significant impact on the parliament’s mix of experiences, demographics and the direction of political parties.
Early retirement
Considering all 132 deputies who did not run for re-election, age has been a crucial factor. Perhaps not surprisingly, those who leave are, on average, seven years older than those seeking re-election.
But if we look a little closer, we see a striking difference between the parties: the Conservative MPs who resign are, on average, 10 years younger than their Labor counterparts, aged 56 and 66 respectively.
This suggests that while Labor may be experiencing routine turnover, the Conservatives may be facing a different kind of renewal, driven by political disenchantment and the prospect of heavy seat losses.
Thus, the next parliament could see a significant influx of Conservative MPs with minimal parliamentary experience, potentially reshaping the party’s dynamics as it considers new leadership and its policy position.
Veteran deputies giving up
Age is not the only sign of experience. It is equally important to consider when an MP was first elected. Notably, 38% of MPs who resigned entered the House of Commons for the first time between 1974 and 2005. The departure of these MPs raises questions about the development of the collective experience.
Deputies retire due to length of service
Interestingly, an almost equal proportion of resigning MPs (30%) spent less than 10 years in parliament. This combination of old and relatively new MPs resigning suggests that the life of a MP may be becoming increasingly challenging.
Whether due to job demands, political disenchantment, harassment or other factors, this highlights the pressures MPs face and could signal a significant generational shift.
Both Dehanna Davison and Mahri Black spoke about the challenges of working as Members of Parliament. Ms. Davison cited in her resignation letter that her chronic migraines make it difficult to plan work in advance and that she was afraid of being considered weak if she had to cancel events due to migraine episodes. Black cited safety concerns, social media abuse and unsocial hours in explaining his decision to resign.
Their stories also indicate the difficulties faced specifically by women MPs.
Although a smaller proportion of female MPs (15%) than men (23%) will resign in 2024, more than half of them (52%) have spent less than 10 years in office, compared to 23% for men.
Recent research has found that prominent young female MPs are more likely to attract abuse, harassment and intimidation. This, along with the higher structural barriers women face to participating in electoral politics, may be driving the turnaround.
While a record number of women stand for election, a significant number of women also resign.
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An analysis of Democracy Club’s latest dataset on 2024 general election candidates suggests that the proportion of women selected to run for parliament remains relatively stable – around a third (34% in 2019 and 32% in 2024).
Among the main parties, 31% of Conservative candidates are women, while Labor has a higher number, at 47%.
Although the Labor Party’s current percentage represents a slight decline from 2019, when 53% of its candidates were women, it is still a strong result.
Therefore, we will likely see a significant proportion of women elected on July 4th. Notably, if the Labor Party secures victory, it will mark the first time that a substantial number of women will be in government, reflecting a shift towards greater gender representation in UK politics.
Given that 21% of them are running for the first time, let’s hope that the more experienced incumbent MPs make them feel welcome in politics.
Dr Sofia Collignon is Associate Professor of Comparative Politics at Queen Mary, University of London and a specialist in the study of candidates, elections and parties and gender-based violence against political elites.
This story originally appeared on News.sky.com read the full story
