Closing the gap: Parliament, representation and the working class
Article
Recent political scandals in Westminster have once again put the issue of trust in politicians at the top of the agenda.
While MPs have become more representative in terms of gender, ethnicity and sexuality in recent years, there is a large and growing ‘representation gap’ on class.
This ‘class ceiling’ is not driven by discrimination against working class candidates by voters, but by a lack of supply of candidates by parties. Representation in politics matters because it has an impact on the policy decisions taken and the voting behaviour of citizens.
In this report we argue that political parties and government should take action to close the ‘representation gap’.
Related items
Who gets a good deal? Revealing public attitudes to transport in Great Britain
Transport isn’t working. That’s the message from the British public. This is especially true if you’re on a low income, disabled or living in the countryside. The cost of living crisis has exposed the shortcomings of our transport system,…Bhargav Srinivasa Desikan on TalkTV discussing AI
IPPR's Bhargav Srinivasa Desikan on TalkTV discussing his new report on the impact of generative AI on the UK labour market.Transformed by AI: How generative artificial intelligence could affect work in the UK – and how to manage it
Technological change is a good thing. It has brought exponential gains to living standards and is the foundation of modern society. Yet unmanaged technological change has always come with risks and disruptions.