Local elections: Where are the women?

There have never been more women in Parliament. Yet, the reins of political power remain overwhelmingly in the hands of men.

In the most recent set of UK local elections, held on May 7th, I was struck to find that none of the candidates on my ballot paper were women.

The absence of female candidates in local elections is part of a wider trend according to a recent article by The Guardian. Drawing on data by 50:50 Parliament and Democracy Club, the newspaper reported that in the recent elections two-thirds of candidates were men, with Reform displaying the lowest number of women on ballot papers and the Green Party displaying the highest.

Further research conducted by the Fawcett Society shows that the percentage of women candidates in elections across England has fallen from 34% in 2024 to 32.4% in 2026.

When 265 women MPs were elected to Parliament in the 2024 General Election, the highest number of women elected as MPs ever recorded, there was a sense that many of the barriers to women entering politics had been eroded and gender equality was close to being achieved. But the May elections are a clear reminder that politics remains overwhelmingly male-dominated.

Why are women missing from the ballot in local elections?

Caregiving responsibilities constitute a significant barrier to women’s access to local councils. Women remain the primary carers in the home and have to juggle both work commitments and domestic responsibilities. The most recent statistics in the UK show that women do 60% more unpaid work than men, which includes adult care and childcare, laundry and cleaning.

The exorbitant price of childcare in the UK makes it impossible for many women to lift some of the weight off their shoulders, and councils very rarely cover childcare costs. Being a local councillor is a significant part-time commitment that many women in the UK simply do not have the time to pursue on top of their full-time job and caring duties.

Furthermore, councillors are not legally entitled to maternity leave and are not eligible for statutory maternity pay. Councils can adopt a voluntary parental leave policy developed by the Local Government Association Labour Group, but a 2024 survey by the LGA revealed that out of the 102 councils who took part, over half did not have parental leave policies, making local government an unappealing work environment for many women.

A lack of confidence also prevents many women from entering local government. A study by Glasgow Caledonian University shows that young women are less likely to engage in politics than young men because they are less confident in their ability to participate in politics.

In the age of social media, online hate has become a daily occurrence for public figures, especially politicians, both men and women. However, studies show that the abuse directed at women in politics tends to be more severe, often driven by misogynistic beliefs rather than by ideological or policy disagreements.

A report published by the non-profit Reset.Tech analysed the digital threats directed at UK politicians from May 25^th to July 6^th, 2024, the day of the general election, across a range of social media platforms. The report found that female politicians faced a significantly higher number of threats compared to men. Women politicians from ethnic minority backgrounds, especially Muslim MPs, were on the receiving end of particularly vile abuse rooted in both misogyny and islamophobia, with Labour MP Zarah Sultana being the victim of the highest volume of hate speech.

The relentless online harassment, bullying and abuse is enough for any woman to think twice before stepping forward as a candidate in an election, especially if they are also from an ethnic minority.

Despite 40% of seats in Westminster being held by women, politics remains very much a “boys club” where women’s voices are often drowned out by men. Every few months, allegations of sexual misconduct and misogynistic behaviour in Parliament make the front pages.

Misogyny also remains deeply entrenched in local government. Most recently, a Reform UK councillor, Peter York, allegedly stated that “some women should have never left the kitchen” at an International Women’s Day event and criticised the government’s cabinet for having too many women in it. In April, Mansfield District Council launched an investigation into a councillor who made a sexist comment on Facebook directed at a reporter.

Experiences of harassment, stalking and abuse are widespread amongst women councillors. In a BBC article from 2024, former Conservative council Clare Golby shared that, since becoming councillor, she didn’t “like leaving meetings alone or going to the car park alone.”

These are not just one-off incidents. They are symptoms of a political system riddled with structural inequalities and institutionalised sexism that continues to shun women out.  

Women in local councils: a critical force for change

It is pivotal that more women from different backgrounds enter local government, because they can advocate for the needs of the women in their community as well as those of other vulnerable groups.

Women, especially BME and disabled women, are heavily reliant on the local services provided by the council. These include social care, schools, youth and leisure centres, public health, women’s refuges and social housing. Austerity cuts and privatisation have resulted in the erasure of many of these critical services, and many more will disappear if women don’t have the platforms to emphasise their vitality for the local community.

Local government often constitutes the first step for MPs into Parliament. By restricting women’s access to local politics, the system is also creating hurdles for women’s breakthrough into Westminster and delaying opportunities for advancing gender equality in national politics.

Finally, women representatives in politics hold great symbolic value. Remarkable women politicians in particular, such as Jacinda Arden, Angela Merkel and Claudia Sheinbaum (just to name a few), prove to society that women can be and are successful and competent leaders. They are also role models for future generations of young girls, who need to be assured that they are capable of achieving anything they set their mind to.

In 2026, it is unacceptable that inadequate maternity policies, a lack of self-esteem and sexual harassment continue to prevent women from entering local government. It is time that we break down the socio-economic barriers stopping women from becoming the political leaders of the future.