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A CROSS-PARTY group of MSPs called yesterday for devolution of the power to set gender quotas for the Scottish Parliament.
In a joint article, Labour MSP Kezia Dugdale and Green MSP Alison Johnstone argued for a 50-50 balance of candidates and “robust sanctions” against parties which did not comply.
“At the moment the power to bring in legal quotas in the Scottish Parliament is currently reserved to Westminster, under the provision on political parties in the Scotland Act 1998,” the article reads.
“As politicians discuss ‘extensive new powers’ for the Scottish Parliament, we would like to see the power to legislate for gender quotas devolved.”
“We want every political party to support gender quotas in their manifestos for the 2016 Holyrood elections. And we want to see change by 2020.”
The demand is supported by SNP MSP Marco Biagi, Lib Dem MSP Alison McInnes, Labour MSP Jackie Baillie and independent MSP Jean Urquhart.
At present, 35 per cent of Scotland’s 129 MSPs are women — a decline from almost 40 per cent when the new parliament was established in 1999.
Fewer than a quarter of wards in Scotland’s 32 local authorities are represented by women. There are 297 female councillors and 1,232 men.
Only 13 of Scotland’s 59 MPs are women.
“The people who govern us, in our parliament and our council chambers, should reflect the society they represent, not a closed shop,” Mses Dugdale and Johstone wrote.
“That is why women from across the political divide have decided to come together to campaign for legal quotas in the Scottish Parliament, our council chambers and our public bodies.”
