The next in our series on women MPs by the House of Commons Hansard Writing Team. Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013) was the first woman to serve as leader of the Conservative party, the United Kingdom’s first female Prime Minister, and the longest-serving Prime … Continue reading Margaret Thatcher

The next in our series on women MPs by the House of Commons Hansard Writing Team. Conservative MPs Mervyn Pike (1918-2004) and Joan Quennell (1923-2006) both served in the Second World War, using their wartime experiences to gain managerial experience before winning … Continue reading Mervyn Pike and Joan Quennell

The next in our series on women MPs by the House of Commons Hansard Writing Team. Labour and Co-operative MP Joyce Butler (1910-1992) and Conservative MP Evelyn Emmet (1899-1980) both served in local government before their election in 1955 and shared an … Continue reading Joyce Butler and Evelyn Emmet

Women MPs, 1955-1964 The next in our series on women MPs by the House of Commons Hansard Writing Team. Twenty of the 21 women who were serving as MPs when a general election was called in 1955 were re-elected, with only Patricia … Continue reading Women MPs, 1955-1964

The next in our series on women MPs by the House of Commons Hansard Writing Team. Labour MP Lena Jeger (1915-2007) and Ulster Unionist MP Patricia Ford (1921-1995) both won their seats in by-elections in 1953. In a sign perhaps that women … Continue reading Patricia Ford and Lena Jeger

The next in our series on women MPs by the House of Commons Hansard Writing Team. Dorothy Rees (1898-1987) and Eirene White (1909-1999) were the first women to represent  Labour in Wales, winning Glamorgan, Barry and Flintshire, East respectively in the 1950 … Continue reading Dorothy Rees and Eirene White

The next in our series on women MPs by the House of Commons Hansard Writing Team. Labour MP Elaine Burton (1904-1991) and Conservative MP Edith Pitt (1906-1966) both represented Midlands seats and served together on the first western parliamentary delegation to the … Continue reading Elaine Burton and Edith Pitt

The next in our series on women MPs by the House of Commons Hansard Writing Team. Alice Cullen (1891-1969) and Eveline Hill (1898-1973) were committed to the communities that they represented, chalking up impressive records in local government before taking their seats … Continue reading Alice Cullen and Eveline Hill

The next in our series on women MPs by the House of Commons Hansard Writing Team. Priscilla Thomson (1915-1978) was the first woman to represent Aberdeen South. Elected in a by-election in 1946, she was one of only two female Conservative MPs … Continue reading Priscilla, Lady Tweedsmuir, Patricia Hornsby-Smith and Harriet Slater

The next in our series on women MPs by the House of Commons Hansard Writing Team. At the end of the second world war, the United Kingdom turned to the challenge of improving people’s lives, but there were several years of economic … Continue reading Women MPs, 1945-1955