Response to the Open Government Network on Enacting Section 106 of the Equality Act

Submitted to the Open Government Network’s data consultation.

There is a current lack of information published around the diversity of candidates and elected representatives. It is vitally important that this information is publicly available to allow us to monitor progress and identify areas where representation needs to be improved.

As such we would like to see a Government commitment to the enactment of section 106 of the Equality Act 2010.

This would cover the publication of information pertaining to candidates selected for an election by each political party, candidates successfully elected and those that fail to be elected. This should include elections to the UK Parliament as well as to devolved administrations across the UK.

We would further urge UK Government to consider extending the requirement for information on selection and election to local government elections and putting a duty on local authorities to publish this information, ideally by the local elections in 2019.

Electoral Reform Society
The Fawcett Society
Helen Pankhurst