MARCH 2020 SUPPORTED BY 1 WIWT1 cover.indd 1 04/03/2020 19:24:39 HELPING BRITAIN Lloyds Banking Group increased the percentage of women in senior roles from 28% in 2014 to 37% in 2019 Information correct as of February 2020. More information at www.lloydsbankinggroup.com. Lloyds Banking Group includes companies using brands including Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland and their associated companies. More information on Lloyds Banking Group can be found at www.lloydsbankinggroup.com lloyds ifc.indd 1 04/03/2020 16:54:25 FOREWORD BARONESS JENKIN FIONA CANNON With a record 220 female Members of Parliament taking I was delighted when Lloyds Banking Group agreed their seats in Parliament after the 2019 General Election to support ‘Women in Westminster: The 100’ with The – and the proportion reaching 34%, the highest of either House magazine and my congratulations go, not only Chamber to date – there is much to celebrate, as the UK to the truly inspirational group of women who made moves up the rankings for female representation. the Women in Westminster 100, but also to those Women in Westminster: The 100 celebrates the achieve- who put the selection together. Given the calibre of ments and the valuable role women play in public life, by women being considered, this was no easy task! recognising one hundred high profile women from the world of The list is of course is by no means exhaustive, Westminster. However, the focus of this list is not solely female as there are so many brilliant women in Westmin- MPs. Inspirational, talented women are leading their fields ster. But this is a wonderful way to celebrate the across politics and public service; from journalists like Laura achievements of those women who are changing Kuenssberg or Beth Rigby, to Civil Servants such as Helen the conversation, challenging the approach to Bower-Easton, and activists like Nimco Ali and Amika George. policy making and providing a female perspective The judging panel, comprised of key figures with extensive to the important political issues of the day. expertise throughout Westminster, had a difficult job, and Lloyds Banking Group is committed to being a much robust debate narrowing down a long list to The 100. company where everyone has an equal chance to Women still face a number of challenges, both in- thrive. But we also know there is still much for us, and side and outside of Westminster, but we shouldn’t lose the business world as a whole, to do to ensure that sight of the huge strides made in recent years, and the everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. remarkable women at the forefront of this country. That is why it is In choosing this list, all of the judges were struck by the important for all of us number of women rising up to work together, keep Fiona Cannon is the ranks across Westmin- having the sometimes Group ster, and I hope this list will Baroness Jenkin difficult conversations – Responsible inspire the next generation of Kennington is and use the example set Business, of women to begin their Conservative by the remarkable women Sustainability journey – and that we see peer and working in Westminster & Inclusion many of them featured on co-founder of today as an inspiration Director Lloyds The 100 in years to come. Women2Win and a guiding light. Banking Group www.politicshome.com/thehouse @thehouse_mag [email protected] Head of Production JOHN LEVERS ADVERTISING 0207 593 5645 • [email protected] PARLIAMENT’S MAGAZINE Design ANTONELLO STICCA • MATT TITLEY • MAX DUBIEL Dods is widely respected for producing highly authoritative Editor SIR GRAHAM BRADY MP THIS IS A COMMERCIALLY LED SUPPLEMENT PAID FOR BY and independent political publications. • Its policy is to Associate Editor JESS PHILLIPS MP LLOYDS BANKING GROUP AND PUBLISHED BY DODS accept advertisements representing many sides of a debate from Life President LORD CORMACK a variety of organisations. • Dods takes no political stance on the Managing Editor DANIEL BOND The House magazine Women In Westminster: the 100 is published messages contained within advertisements but requires that all Political Editor SEBASTIAN WHALE by Dods; 11th Floor, The Shard, London Bridge Street, London, SE1 content is in strict accordance with the law. • Dods reserves the Commissioning and Special Projects Editor SALLY DAWSON 9SG • Printed in the UK by The Magazine Printing Company using right to refuse advertisements for good reason (for example if Policy Editor GEORGINA BAILEY only paper from FSC/PEFC suppliers. www.magprint.co.uk it is libellous, defamatory, pornographic, socially unacceptable, Product Portfolio Director ROB ELLIS Printed by The Magazine Printing Company using only insensitive or otherwise contrary to editorial policy). Head of Client DAISY CRISP paper from FSC/PEFC suppliers; www.magprint.co.uk. Political Engagement Manager ALEXANDRA HANCOCK All MP byline photos by UK Parliament. All photos by PA © Dods 2020 Strategic Partnerships Editor GEOFFREY LYONS Images and Adobe Stock unless stated otherwise Reproduction in any form is prohibited without prior written consent. Women in Westminster | The House magazine | 3 3 WIWT1 - foreword.indd 3 04/03/2020 19:03:48 VICTORIA ATKINS DIANE ABBOTT After graduating with a degree The fi rst black female MP, Di- sy, Abbott is known for her in law from Cambridge Univer- ane Abbott has represented passionate oratory, winning sity, Victoria Atkins became a Hackney North and Stoke the Spectator’s Parliamentary criminal barrister, specialising Newington since 1987. Speech of the Year award in in prosecuting serious organ- The daughter of a Jamaican 2008 for a speech against ised crime. In her role, she welder and a psychiatric 42-day detention of terrorist prosecuted international drug nurse, she read history at suspects. She has held the traffi cking rings, gun-runners Cambridge. A long-time position of shadow home and fraudsters. She is one of rebel, unafraid of controver- secretary since 2016. 30 advocates in England and Wales appointed to the attorney general’s regulators panel and the Serious Fraud Offi ce’s list NIMCO ALI of specialist fraud prosecutors. Self-described “chief fanny She was fi rst elected MP for defender” – and author of Louth and Horncastle in 2015. What We’re Told Not to Talk In November 2017, she was About (But We’re Going to made a minister in the Home Anyway) – anti-female genital Offi ce, responsible for crime, mutilation campaigner Ali was safeguarding and vulnerability. born in Somaliland in 1982. From January 2018 to Feb- Having moved to Manchester ruary 2020, she also served with her family when she was as a minister for women. four, Ali endured FGM at the age of seven, when on holiday with her family in Djibouti. Hav- ing undergone reconstructive surgery in later life, Ali helped set up the charity Daughters of Eve (2010) to protect girls at risk of FGM, and also The Five Foundation, a global campaign- ing partnership dedicated to ending the practice, in 2019. ANNE She was awarded an OBE last ALEXANDER year for services to tackling FGM and gender inequality. Senior political producer for Good Morning Britain, Alex- KEMI BADENOCH ander has been with the ITV Since her election as MP for Saffron Walden in show since 2009. Originally 2017, Kemi Badenoch has enjoyed a fast rise from Wednesbury in the West in the Conservative party. Appointed vice-chair Midlands – she now describes in January 2018, her fi rst ministerial role came herself as “a proud Waltham- 18 months later as a minister in the Depart- stower” – Alexander took Amer- ment for Education. In February 2020, she ican studies at the University was made Exchequer secretary to the Treasury of Reading before joining the and Minister for Equalities. Prior to joining Express & Star journalism train- Parliament, she was a member of the London ing scheme. A former political Assembly, acting as the GLA Conservatives’ editor at the Yorkshire Evening spokesperson for the economy. Following Post, she later made her move her computer systems engineering degree, into TV, joining the BBC’s Daily she gained a law degree, and has Politics programme in 2006. worked at RBS, Coutts and the Spectator. Baldo Sciacca 4 | The House magazine | omen in estminster 4-9 WIWT1.indd 4 04/03/2020 18:26:28 KATY BALLS MHAIRI BLACK The deputy political editor at the Mhairi Black was just twenty Spectator, and a columnist at and still had an exam for the i paper, Balls was shortlisted her undergraduate degree to for Political Commentator of take when she became MP the Year at the 2017 Press for Paisley and Renfrewshire BBC/Helen Roscoe & David Rutter & David BBC/Helen Roscoe Awards. She presents her own South in 2015. Black joined podcast Women with Balls, the SNP in 2011 after learning interviewing women “at the that a referendum for Scottish top of their respective games, independence was on the about their passions, their cards. She began campaigning battles, and what makes them on Paisley High Street by tick”. Born and raised in North distributing leafl ets for the Berwick, she studied philosophy Yes campaign. During nearly at the University of Durham. fi ve years in parliament, she has served on the Work and Pensions Committee, and held EMMA BARNETT roles as an SNP spokesperson An award-winning journalist, several politicians have fallen victim to her forensic interviewing style. across multiple briefs. The presenter of Newsnight and the Emma Barnett Show on BBC Radio 5 Live – with an occasional slot on Woman’s Hour on BBC Radio 4 – Barnett is also a columnist for the Sunday Times. A former digital media and women’s editor for the Telegraph, she studied history and politics at the University of Nottingham before taking journalism at Cardiff.