Job share to make MPs representative

The House of Commons is not representative of the electorate. The House of Commons has 650 MPs. Of these 650, there are 504 male MPs, so women are seriously underrepresented. There are 27 MPs of black and minority ethnic origin, but there would need to be 55 to 60 MPs to be representative of the black and minority ethnic population. There are a handful of disabled MPs, but there would need to be 65 disabled MPs to be representative of the number of disabled people in the population. Letting MPs serve on a job-share basis would enable more people from underrepresented groups to stand for parliament. Legal advice has been obtained by the Equality and Human Rights Commission on this issue and is available on Disability Politics UK's website. We want the law to be changed to allow MPs to serve on a job-share basis. An e-petition has been set up and a bill will be introduced in November. We urge readers to sign the e-petition ( http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38829 ) and write to their MPs to support the change in the law. John McDonnell MP Labour party Margaret Hodge MP Labour party Natalie Bennett Green Party leader Angela Mason Chair, The Fawcett Society Simon Woolley Director, Operation Black Vote Miranda Whitehead Chair, Women Liberal Democrats Liz Sayce OBE Chief Executive, Disability Rights UK Sir Bert Massie CBE Former Chair, Disability Rights Commission Catherine Casserley Chair, Discrimination Law Association Kamaljeet Jandu GMB Saraka Keating Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Sean McGovern Chair of the TUC Disabled Workers' Committee Diane Mulligan OBE Newly elected member of the CRPD Expert Committee Robin Allen QC Head of Cloisters chambers Mike Mansfield QC Head of Tooks Court Chambers John Cavanagh QC 11 King's Bench Walk Sean Jones QC 11 King's Bench Walk Claire Darwin Matrix Chambers Sara Mansoori Matrix Chambers Colm O'Cinneide University College London, Law Department Pam Walton Visiting Fellow, Sheffield Business School, Sheffield Hallam University Jo Brand Comedian Victoria Wright Disabled writer and actress Jenny Sealey MBE Artistic director, Graeae Theatre Company; Joint Artistic Director for the 2012 Paralympic Games Nicola Wildin Actress, Miranda in Paralympics Opening Ceremony Sally Bercow Labour Party member Katy Gordon Convenor, Scottish Women Liberal Democrats Rosalyn Gordon Chair, Liberal Democrat campaign for gender balance Dinti Batstone Vice-chair, Liberal Democrat campaign for gender balance Michael Rubenstein Equal Opportunities Review Lorraine Mann Campaigner for member of the Scottish Parliament job-sharing Moi Ali Author and communications consultant Dr Peter Jepson Originator of the All-women Shortlist Challenge Helen Dent Partner, Keoghs and Nicholls, Lindsell & Harris solicitors Julie Morris Partner, Russell Jones and Walker solicitors Eddy Canfor-Dumas Author and screenwriter Eric Atwell Associate professor, Leeds University Jeanne Gregory Author, retired professor of gender studies Deborah Orr Guardian columnist Frances Ryan Guardian contributor Joe Kelly Contributor, Disability Arts online Shelagh Prosser Michael Reiss Professor of science education and Church of England priest Dr Raj Persaud Consultant psychiatrist Robin Beecroft Fairtrade ambassador Adam Lotun Independent candidate, Corby by-election Deborah King Disability Politics UK