Record number of women MPs elected to Parliament in General Election – but there’s a female slump in Scotland
A RECORD number of women MPs have been elected to Parliament as the the SNP saw a landslide victory in Scotland.
Nicola Sturgeon has said she has a "renewed, refreshed and strengthened" mandate for a second vote on Scottish independence, as the Nats made a series of gains by securing 48 seats.
While Boris Johnson is heading back to Downing Street with a majority - allowing him to push ahead with Brexit – after securing at least 364 seats.
Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson, ex-Conservative rebel Anna Soubry and Labour star Laura Pidock all lost their seats - but other female MPs have come to the fore.
Amy Callaghan of the SNP won Swinson's seat in Dunbartonshire East, while fellow Nats Mhairi Black and Joanna Cherry were among those to hold onto their seats.
A record 220 women MPs have been elected, up from 208 at the 2017 election.
An unprecedented 1,124 women stood as candidates, with all-female ballots in Barking, Chippenham, Llanelli and Telford.
But the number remains low - with women now making up just over a third (33.85 per cent) of MPs.
And in Scotland, there was a slump in female representation.
The overnight results saw 18 women elected as MPs for 2019.
This is up one from 2017, but in 2015 there were 20 female MPs.
General Election results Scotland 2019 LIVE: Turnout & vote share amid SNP landslide, Tory majority and Jo Swinson axed
All eyes will now be on the next leader to replace Jeremy Corbyn, who today announced he would be stepping down after Labour's crushing defeat.
MPs Jess Phillips and shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey are among those pipped for the role.
If a woman is elected, she would become the first female leader in Labour's history.
FEMALE MPs IN SCOTLAND 2019
- Kirsty Blackman, Aberdeen North
- Philippa Whitford, Central Ayrshire
- Amy Callaghan, East Dunbartonshire
- Lisa Cameron, East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
- Kirsten Oswald, East Renfrewshire
- Deidre Brock, Edinburgh North and Leith
- Joanna Cherry, Edinburgh South West
- Christine Jardine, Edinburgh West
- Alison Thewliss, Glasgow Central
- Anne McLaughlin, Glasgow North East
- Carol Monaghan, Glasgow North West
- Angela Crawley, Lanark and Hamilton East
- Hannah Bardell, Livingston
- Marion Fellows, Motherwell and Wishaw
- Patricia Gibson, North Ayrshire and Arran
- Wendy Chamberlain, North East Fife
- Mhairi Black, Paisley and Renfrewshire South
- Margaret Ferrier, Rutherglen and Hamilton West
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Despite the increase, women MPs have faced increasing abuse and threats since the Brexit campaign began in 2016.
A total of 18 women stood down ahead of this election, including former Tory and Lib Dem MP Heidi Allen.
In October, a foundation set up in the name of murdered MP Jo Cox attacked the "abhorrent" abuse aimed at female MPs, after four women cited bullying as their reason for standing down from Parliament.
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