Articles by Jessica Smith

November 18, 2024

UK voters support reforms to make parliament more family friendly

Jessica Smith

Parliaments often overlook MPs' family needs, and this poses challenges for recruiting and retaining diverse politicians. Yet, argues Jessica Smith, recent research in the UK reveals that voters don’t penalise MPs for taking parental leave; indeed, women MPs even gain more support as mothers.

Jessica Smith

Assistant Professor in Politics, University of Southampton

Jessica's research centres on the sources and consequences of bias in our political systems, from what voters think to how our institutions operate.

She has published widely on issues of gender and representation, and she is the Founder and Codirector of the GenElect Network and the Co-Convenor of the PSA Women and Politics Specialist Group.

Personal website

@jesssmith.bsky.social

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