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Title: Social background of MPs
Author: Richard Cracknell

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Social background of MPs
Standard Note:

SN/SG/1528

Last updated:

14 December 2010

Author:

Feargal McGuinness

Section

Social & General Statistics Section

This note provides data on the sex, age, ethnicity and occupational and educational
backgrounds of Members of Parliament elected at the 2010 General Election and how this
has changed since 1979.

Contents
1.1  Gender



1.2  Age



1.3  Ethnicity



1.4  Occupation



1.5  Education



1.6  Parliamentary Experience



This information is provided to Members of Parliament in support of their parliamentary duties
and is not intended to address the specific circumstances of any particular individual. It should
not be relied upon as being up to date; the law or policies may have changed since it was last
updated; and it should not be relied upon as legal or professional advice or as a substitute for
it. A suitably qualified professional should be consulted if specific advice or information is
required.
This information is provided subject to our general terms and conditions which are available
online or may be provided on request in hard copy. Authors are available to discuss the
content of this briefing with Members and their staff, but not with the general public.

1.1

Gender

In 2010, there are 143 women MPs (22% of all MPs), the highest ever number and
proportion. In 1979 there were 19 women MPs, 3% of the total. The number of women MPs
rose slowly over the next three parliaments to 60 in 1992. The 1997 Labour landslide was
accompanied by a doubling of the number of women MPs to 120 (it rose during the 97-01
Parliament to 122 following the election of two women at by-elections). That number fell
back to 118 after the 2001 election but rose again in 2005 and 2010. Figures for the start of
each of the last eight Parliaments are given in Table 1.
Table 1 Men and Women MPs 1979 to 2010
Election

Men

Women

1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010

616
627
609
591
539
541
518
507

19
23
41
60
120
118
128
143

Total % women

635
650
650
651
659
659
646
650

3%
4%
6%
9%
18%
18%
20%
22%

As Table 2 and Figure 1 show, the majority of female MPs have been Labour MPs. This has
particularly been the case since 1997.
Table 2 Women MPs by party 1979 to 2010
Number

1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010

% of party total

LAB

CON

LD

Other

LAB

CON

LD

Other

11
10
21
37
101
95
98
81

8
13
17
20
13
14
17
49

0
0
1
2
3
5
10
7

0
0
2
1
3
4
3
6

4%
5%
9%
14%
24%
23%
28%
31%

2%
3%
5%
6%
8%
8%
9%
16%

0%
0%
5%
10%
7%
10%
16%
12%

0%
0%
8%
4%
10%
14%
10%
21%

2

Figure 1 Women MPs 1979 to 2010

160

Women MPs elected at General Elections 1979 to 2010
Proportion of women MPs from each party

140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
03-May-79

09-Jun-83

11-Jun-87

09-Apr-92

01-May-97

07-Jun-01

05-May-05

06-May-10

General Election

1.2

Age

The average age of MPs has been remarkably consistent since 1979, at around 50 years.
From 1997 to 2005 the average age of MPs elected rose, from 49.3 years in 1997 to 51.2
years in 2005, before falling to 49.9 in 2010.
In 2010, 51% (331) of those elected were aged over 50. This is lower than in 2001 (52%) and
2005 (56%), but higher than at the other general elections since 1979. The spread in the
ages of MPs was greater in 2010 than in previous years – in particular, there are 15 MPs
aged less than 30 and 16 MPs aged 70 and over in 2010.
Table 3 Age of MPs at General Elections 1979 to 2010
Average Age
at election
date
Election
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010

49.6
48.8
49.0
50.0
49.3
50.3
51.2
49.9

18-29

30-39

40-49

50-59

60-69

70+

Total

6
10
4
1
10
4
3
15

120
120
112
82
92
79
89
108

205
223
252
259
255
236
191
196

203
201
197
211
225
247
249
216

87
86
79
95
69
83
100
99

14
9
6
3
8
10
14
16

635
649
650
651
659
659
646
650

Of those elected at the 2010 General Election, on average Labour MPs are older than those
from the other major parties. 85% of Labour MPs are aged over 40 compared to 77% of
Conservative MPs and 79% of Liberal Democrat MPs.

3

Table 4 Age of MPs elected at 2010 General Election by party
Average age
Number
(years) Under 40

40-59

60+

LAB
CON
LD
Other

258
306
57
29

52.3
47.7
50.2
50.7

15%
23%
21%
10%

59%
67%
58%
72%

26%
10%
21%
17%

All

650

51.2

19%

63%

18%

1.3

Ethnicity

An individual’s ethnicity is self-defined. Consequently, it is hard to obtain complete records of
MPs’ ethnicity, particularly historically. It is generally stated that the first non-white MPs since
World War II were elected in 1987, when four Labour MPs were from a non-white
background. Following the 2010 election, 4.2% of Members of Parliament are from nonwhite backgrounds. This compares with the 8% of the UK population who were from a nonwhite background at the time of the 2001 Census of Population.
Table 5 Ethnicity of MPs elected at General Elections 1987 to 2010
LAB

CON

LD

Other

Total

1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010

225
266
409
400
342
242

376
335
165
166
196
295

22
20
46
52
62
57

23
24
30
29
31
29

646
645
650
647
631
623

Non-white
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010

4
5
9
12
13
16

0
1
0
0
2
11

0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0

4
6
9
12
15
27

229
271
418
412
355
258

376
336
165
166
198
306

22
20
46
52
62
57

23
24
30
29
31
29

650
651
659
659
646
650

White

Total
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010

Source: House of Commons Library Research Papers 08/12, 10/36

There have been no non-white Liberal Democrat MPs elected at general elections. Parmjit
Singh Gill was elected for the Liberal Democrats at a by-election in 2004 in Leicester South,
but he did not retain the seat at the 2005 General Election.

4

1.4

Occupation

The Nuffield election studies provide analyses of occupations of candidates and MPs elected
at each election. These data are restricted to the three main parties but give a reasonably
consistent guide to the occupational background of MPs over the period. The following table
summarises the proportions in main occupation groups:
Table 6 MPs' Occupations 1979 to 2010
MPs from main parties (Conservative/Labour/Liberal Democrat)
1979

1983

1987

1992

1997

2001

2005

2010

278
67
29
8
30
28
49
138
106
9
21
46
23
98
21
619

278
69
35
5
27
32
43
162
115
21
20
45
21
74
20
629

262
57
31
5
22
36
48
161
133
27
34
42
19
73
17
629

258
53
30
6
26
45
57
152
154
46
46
44
12
63
13
627

272
36
28
9
37
61
65
113
188
72
60
47
7
56
13
629

270
33
35
8
35
53
64
107
200
76
66
50
6
53
12
630

242
34
38
6
28
44
47
118
217
78
87
43
8
38
11
615

218
38
48
9
18
25
24
156
222
84
90
38
10
25
7
621

44.9%
10.8%
4.7%
1.3%
4.8%
4.5%
7.9%
22.3%
17.1%
1.5%
3.4%
7.4%
3.7%
15.8%
3.4%

44.2%
11.0%
5.6%
0.8%
4.3%
5.1%
6.8%
25.8%
18.3%
3.3%
3.2%
7.2%
3.3%
11.8%
3.2%

41.7%
9.1%
4.9%
0.8%
3.5%
5.7%
7.6%
25.6%
21.1%
4.3%
5.4%
6.7%
3.0%
11.6%
2.7%

41.1%
8.5%
4.8%
1.0%
4.1%
7.2%
9.1%
24.2%
24.6%
7.3%
7.3%
7.0%
1.9%
10.0%
2.1%

43.2%
5.7%
4.5%
1.4%
5.9%
9.7%
10.3%
18.0%
29.9%
11.4%
9.5%
7.5%
1.1%
8.9%
2.1%

42.9%
5.2%
5.6%
1.3%
5.6%
8.4%
10.2%
17.0%
31.7%
12.1%
10.5%
7.9%
1.0%
8.4%
1.9%

39.3%
5.5%
6.2%
1.0%
4.6%
7.2%
7.6%
19.2%
35.3%
12.7%
14.1%
7.0%
1.3%
6.2%
1.8%

35.1%
6.1%
7.7%
1.4%
2.9%
4.0%
3.9%
25.1%
35.7%
13.5%
14.5%
6.1%
1.6%
4.0%
1.1%

Number
Professions
Barrister
Solicitor
Doctor
Civil service/local govt
Teachers: University/college
Teacher: school
Business
Miscellaneous
White Collar
Politician/Political organiser
Publisher/Journalist
Farmer
Manual Workers
Miner
Total
Percentage
Professions
Barrister
Solicitor
Doctor
Civil service/local govt
Teachers: University/college
Teacher: school
Business
Miscellaneous
White Collar
Politician/Political organiser
Publisher/Journalist
Farmer
Manual Workers
Miner

Source: Butler, Kavanagh, Cowley et al The British General Election of 2010 & previous editions

Since 1979 there has been a large decrease in the number of MPs who were formerly
manual workers, from around 16% of all MPs in 1979 to 4% in 2010. The proportion of MPs
with professional backgrounds has also fallen, from 45% in 1979 to 35% in 2010. Within this
category the proportion of former school teachers and former barristers has declined while
the proportion of former solicitors has risen. The numbers of teachers from schools and
teachers from universities and colleges were rising until 1997 since then have fallen back to
below 1979 levels.

5

As the professions have declined they have been replaced by MPs from other non-manual
occupations. Particularly notable is the growth in the number of MPs who come to
Westminster already with a political background. In 1979 3% of MPs from the main parties
were previously politicians/political organisers, compared to 14% in 2010.
MPs with a background in business tend to be Conservative. The decline in their numbers
was reversed in 2005 and they now form a quarter of the main parties’ MPs.

Table 7 Occupation of MPs elected at the 2010 General Election

CON

Number
LAB

LD

Percentage
CON
LAB

Professions
Solicitor
Barrister
Teachers: University/college
Teacher: school
Civil service/local govt
Accountant
Armed services
Doctor/dentist/optician
Business
Miscellaneous
Politician/Political organiser
Publisher/Journalist
Public relations
Manual Workers

107
29
27
0
4
2
13
15
6
125
72
31
18
11
2

89
17
9
21
14
13
2
1
2
20
127
52
15
3
22

22
2
2
4
6
3
2
0
1
11
23
7
5
2
1

35%
9%
9%
0%
1%
1%
4%
5%
2%
41%
24%
10%
6%
4%
1%

34%
7%
3%
8%
5%
5%
1%
0%
1%
8%
49%
20%
6%
1%
9%

39%
4%
4%
7%
11%
5%
4%
0%
2%
19%
40%
12%
9%
4%
2%

Total

306

258

57

100%

100%

100%

Source: Kavanagh and Cow ley, The British General Election of 2010

6

LD

1.5

Education

Over one third of current MPs have been to fee-paying schools. The proportion varies by
party, from 14% of Labour MPs to 39% of Liberal Democrat MPs, to 54% of Conservative
MPs. By comparison, 9% of pupils aged 11 and over in UK schools are in non-maintained
(fee-paying) schools. 1 Around three quarters of MPs elected in 2010 were university
graduates.
Table 8 Education of MPs elected in General Elections 1979 to 2010 (3 main parties)
% attending educational institution

1979

1983

1987

1992

1997

2001

2005

2010

Fee-paying school
CON University
Oxford & Cambridge

73
68
49

70
71
48

68
70
44

62
73
45

66
81
51

64
83
48

60
81
43

54
80
34

Fee-paying school
LAB University
Oxford & Cambridge

18
59
21

14
53
15

14
56
15

15
61
16

16
66
15

17
67
16

18
64
16

14
72
17

Fee-paying school
LD University
Oxford & Cambridge

55
45
27

52
65
30

45
73
27

50
75
30

41
70
33

35
69
27

39
79
31

39
81
28

Source: Butler, Kavanagh, Cowley et al The British General Election of 2010 & previous editions

Since 1979, the main change in terms of educational background of MPs has been the rising
proportion who have been to non-Oxbridge universities. In 1979, 225 MPs elected from the
3 main parties had been to Oxford or Cambridge, 36% of these parties’ MPs. At the 2010
election, 165 MPs elected from the 3 main parties (27%) had an Oxbridge background.

1.6

Parliamentary Experience

Of those elected in 2010, 227 (35%) had no previous parliamentary experience. 418 (64%)
had been MPs in the previous 2005-10 parliament , while 5 were elected in 2010 having
previously served in parliaments prior to 2005, but not in the 2005-10 parliament.
Since 1979, the Member with longest service as an MP was Sir Edward Heath with 51.3
years. He is followed by Sir Peter Tapsell with 49.7 years of service as an MP (to 14
December 2010) and Tony Benn with 47.8 years.
The shortest service has been by MPs who won by-elections. Two Members subsequently
died; Bobby Sands (Fermanagh & South Tyrone) 26 days after election and Mike Carr
(Bootle) after 57 days. Ossie O’Brien (Darlington) was elected at a by-election but defeated
77 days later at the 1983 General Election.

1

At January 2010; DfE Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics: January 2010

7

Table 9 Length of Parliamentary service of current MPs by party

CON

LAB

LD

Other

Total

By general election (includes by-elections before next general election)
1959
1964
1966
1970
Feb 1974
Oct 1974
1979
1983
1987
1992
1997
2001
2005
2010

1
0
0
2
3
1
2
18
9
21
26
22
54
147

0
0
1
3
0
3
7
9
20
26
59
30
37
63

0
0
0
1
0
0
1
3
1
2
13
9
17
10

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
1
3
9
7
7

1
0
1
6
3
4
10
32
30
50
101
70
115
227

Total

306

258

57

29

650

Pre-1979
1979 - pre-1997
1997 - pre-2001
2001 - pre-2005
2005 - pre-2010
2010

7
50
26
22
54
147

7
62
59
30
37
63

1
7
13
9
17
10

0
3
3
9
7
7

15
122
101
70
115
227

Total
of which at b y-elections

306
10

258
30

57
5

29
0

650
45

2%
16%
8%
7%
18%
48%

3%
24%
23%
12%
14%
24%

2%
12%
23%
16%
30%
18%

0%
10%
10%
31%
24%
24%

2%
19%
16%
11%
18%
35%

100%
3%

100%
12%

100%
9%

100%
0%

100%
7%

Summaries

Summaries (% of those elected in 2010)
Pre-1979
1979 - pre-1997
1997 - pre-2001
2001 - pre-2005
2005 - pre-2010
2010
Total
of which at b y-elections

8






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