Milton Keynes Labour Group is leading the way this International Women’s Day with a majority-women Group of Councillors and Cabinet.

The gender-balanced MK Labour Group holds 23 seats, of which 12 are held by women, each representing their residents across Milton Keynes. Nationally, 35% of councillors in England are women, putting MK Council’s Labour Group out in front with 52%. 

As well as a gender-balanced group of Councillors, 55% of Cabinet members are women, again putting them ahead of the overall national amount of 30%.  

With women making up just over half of the population it’s vital that they are equally represented, particularly in local government as councils provide a range of services that improve the lives of women. 

Deputy Leader, Cllr Hannah O’Neill said: “We know that government cuts over the last ten years have disproportionately affected women across the UK. In Milton Keynes we’ve worked hard to minimise that effect on local women by keeping our Sure Start Centres open, championing the Real Living Wage, investing in our domestic abuse services and tackling health inequalities, to name a few”

She continued: “This success has certainly been helped by having women’s voices equally represented at the table.” 

She concluded: “We’ve done a lot of work locally to encourage and support women to get involved and mobilise them to make a difference in their communities. Both the women and men in the MK Labour Group are proud to sit on a council group that is gender equal and we’re delighted to be leading the way.”