We work with women who care deeply about their communities and want to make a difference. We also hear, about the barriers that make that harder.

That's why we provided evidence to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee's inquiry into modernising elections…

When I first stepped into the world of local government, I knew I wanted to make a tangible difference in my community.

What I didn’t fully anticipate was just how much that journey would transform me personally.

The underrepresentation of women in elected office is widely debated. But social class rarely gets the same attention.

Fewer politicians now come from working-class jobs in trades, retail, care work, and more come from professional and political careers.

Rachel, Yvette, Angela, Shabana, Miatta - why do these names so rarely appear when Britain talks about political leadership?

Listen to the conversations about Labour’s future - on panels, in columns, across Westminster gossip - and the same names surface again and again. Keir. Wes. Andy.

As a young woman interested in politics and representation, it was powerful to witness a space that felt both ambitious and inclusive - one that showed leadership does not have to rely on confrontation to be effective.

For the first time in a century, we face the very real prospect of women’s political representation going backwards.

Progress that took generations to build can be undone far more quickly than many people realise.

Last year we submitted evidence to the Senedd’s Dignity and Respect Inquiry, with Hannah, our CEO, also giving oral evidence to the Committee.

The report’s just published, recommending reforms to strengthen complaints processes and workplace culture in the Senedd🫶💪

I stood because after years of political awareness and participation, I felt (and still feel) we aren’t delivering meaningful improvement to the lives of women and wider society.

I received 182 votes, more than some party candidates!

I didn’t expect to win but saw it as a practice for future elections…

At Elect Her, our Fix the System work has consistently shown that sustainable representation depends on the right infrastructure.

That is why we are proposing a small, proportionate set of amendments to strengthen the Representation of the People Bill…

The Representation of the People Bill takes meaningful steps to widen access to our democratic system.

We see this Bill as a foundation - and an opportunity - to go further, together.

Because fixing access is important.

Fixing the system is essential.

At Elect Her, we often say that getting more women into politics isn’t just about fairness — it’s about building better, more trusted democracy

Now, new international research gives us powerful evidence to support what many of us have long believed - parliaments with higher levels of women’s representation are trusted more by their citizens.

Online abuse directed at UK politicians is well documented.

What’s less widely understood is how unevenly it’s distributed and how serious the consequences are.

MPs across Parliament face harassment, threats, and coordinated pile-ons online. But the data is clear: some are targeted far more than others.

Online protections for those taking part in democratic life are long overdue.

Informed by evidence we’ve worked with partners at the Online Safety Network and produced an Elections Code of Practice to compel platforms to act.

A huge number of people who care deeply about democracy don’t want to be politicians. They care about fairness. About being heard. About decisions that shape their lives being made openly and honestly.

That doesn’t mean democracy isn’t for you.

In fact, democracy depends on people who don’t stand…

In early January 2026, a coalition of civil society organisations, academics and campaigners, including us, came together to send a public letter to the Prime Minister calling on the UK Government to end its use of X (formerly Twitter) for official communications.

At the end of last month I attended the Women in Politics Conference, delivering a workshop that would focus on the practical aspects of getting involved with democracy, and particularly the upcoming 2026 Scottish Parliament and 2027 Scottish Local elections.

At Elect Her, our mission is to build a political arena where women from every walk of life feel not only invited—but truly welcomed and supported.

But the challenges facing women on the campaign trail extend beyond the ballot box.

2026 Fund HER is now open! We’re inviting women from underrepresented backgrounds to apply for small grants to help cover the personal costs of standing for election.

Read more about why Fund Her matters!

With Compassion in Politics we’ve made a joint submission to the Procedure Committee arguing that it’s time to replace bobbing with a transparent, professional system. They exist, call lists - reflecting how a 21st-century Parliament can function: fair, efficient, and open to all.

What is inspiring in our politics? Aspiring community leaders, activists, & changemakers!

And they joined our Be a Councillor Summit which, alongside our partners, provided confidence and tools to help them stand.