The distinction between being represented and feeling represented

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]erceiving politics and Westminster as an elitist old boys’ club is not an uncommon view to hold. With the majority of MPs being male, it’s not easy to find a female, ethnic minority MP or an MP who didn’t go to Oxbridge.

Yet representation is such big part of the way we engage with politics and is the cornerstone of democracy. The fact that male MPs outnumber women almost five to one is indication enough that the way our society is represented is fundamentally flawed, especially when considering that Britain proudly (and quite rightly) considers herself cosmopolitan and multi-cultural.

“when I vote, I’m looking past similarities between myself and my MP…I’m looking at what they believe in”

Advocating more diversity is an easy argument to make; variation in gender, culture, religion, sexuality, among others, brings different ways of thinking and innovative solutions. Yet, when I vote, I’m looking past similarities between myself and my MP in terms of things like gender. I’m looking at what they believe in and what they want to implement. After all, I don’t need a female MP in order to have my interests, as a female, represented. An MP who does their job properly and isn’t sexist should be able to represent me, regardless of if they are male or female.

Certainly, some issues are more pertinent to some people. For example, policies primarily affecting women (such as abortion) should be made after consulting with those who will be affected by it the most. Though understandable, this does not mean that only women, or indeed, only women who have been faced with the choice of having an abortion, can be considered informed enough to have valid views on the subject.

Being represented by someone who is not of your gender, ethnicity or similar background is not an impossibility. Though it could be more likely that your opinions are embodied by someone of a similar background, this is not always the case. Therefore, being represented by your MP may well be possible even if you are, say, an ethnic minority female. Feeling represented, though, is a different issue altogether.

“Being represented by someone who is not of your gender, ethnicity or similar background is not an impossibility”

Without more diversity, it can be difficult to feel like those involved in politics have any idea what society needs. With two kitchens in their home or being unsure of how much a loaf of bread costs, politicians don’t make it easy. Low voter turnouts are a legitimate worry, and if we’re not feeling represented, what’s the impetus to vote? Political apathy is inevitable if we feel like we’re not represented and are without anyone of a similar background to aspire to or admire.

Being represented is most important, but underestimating the significance of feeling represented is fatal. Someone radically different to me in every way can represent me. Equally, so can someone very similar to me. Therefore, considering the diversity of the population, there ought to people of both similar and very different backgrounds fighting for my vote, both broadly embodying my views.

Looking at the current political body, there is only one inevitable conclusion: the perception that involvement in politics remains elitist and designed for a certain bracket of society has a ring of truth about it. Our political system is founded upon democracy, and yet our current political body is far from it – clearly something needs to change. Only with such change can our political system truly be what it is meant to be: representative.