Could You Be An MP?

Cheryl Gillan

MP for Chesham and Amersham and Shadow Secretary of State for Wales

There are a lot of myths about women in politics, of which the most damaging is that women do not support other women in politics. That is definitely not true!

It was a woman MP who encouraged me to enter politics (clue: she later became Prime Minister!). And it was the example of my mother, a District Councillor, which taught me that a career, politics and family life can be a mutually enhancing process. Two of my constituency Chairmen have been women and could not have been more encouraging and supportive. At the same time we should also kill the myth that women on selection committees do not choose women.

The key is realising that there is no standard template. It is quite right to say that there is no set qualification for being a Member of Parliament or an Assembly Member, so neither should there be one for becoming a candidate. We must not exclude whole groups of people, particularly women, because their background does not fit a particular profile. There is no one 'ideal candidate': there are many and they are all individuals.

In Wales as in the rest of the country, we want to increase the number of women candidates at all levels. Women make a real contribution in shaping the society we all want to see and this is as true at the political level as in the home and the workplace. They also bring a different approach to politics which can often be less confrontational and can prove a powerful tool in the political mix.

I hope that more Conservative women and people from ethnic minority communities will come forward and stand for office at all levels. We are determined to engage the whole of society in our Party. Doing so will help us to develop ideas that benefit the whole country.