Ensuring a greater representation for women on West Lothian council as part of a push for 50:50 representation has seen the local SNP group select a majority of women in its candidates list at these elections,
Backed across the political spectrum, the national Women 50:50 group aims to make the political world of Scotland better reflect life outside the council chambers and outside Holyrood.
Today, despite making up 52% of the population, in Scotland women only make up 25% of public board chairs, 35% of MSPs and 29% of local councillors.
READ MORE: West Lothian Elections 2022: How to cast your vote and why you shouldn't put an 'x'
As the publicity for Women 50:50 claims: “It’s not good enough, and it is estimated that unless radical change is pursued, it would take another 50 years for us to reach an equal parliament.”
Local SNP councillor Maria MacAulay, elected at the height of the lockdown in the pandemic, supports those aims.
She said: “10 out of our 17 candidates are women. We are doing our best to support backing Women 50:50’s aims for greater participation of women in politics.”
Councillor MacAulay won the seat vacated in Livingston South by long-time group leader Peter Johnston. She joined the council in March 2021. She said her first year has been both a “rewarding and frustrating” experience.
“All council meetings were held online, my first one was right after the by-election and I don’t think anything can prepare you for the length of full council meetings. Fortunately, I had great support in getting equipment sorted and set up in advance.”
She added: “It was an eye opener, also a tad hostile at times, but that’s old style politics and my experience from volunteering at the rugby club certainly put things into perspective.”
Maria MacAulay said she had decided to go into politics for the “ women who don’t want to bother anyone because they’ve grown up not having a voice.”
Her gran was a big influence. “I grew up with the strong voice of my gran behind me, of tales of her nieces who had to always sign with their first name initial, just in case they would be classed as a woman and their work dismissed. These women did great things in times of adversity for equality."
After a year of politics done remotely Councillor MacAulay hasn’t been put off, and looks forward to the new hybrid system of meetings that will come with, she hopes, her re-election and the new council after Thursday.
She added: “Because, in the last year, underneath all the politics, dismissive comments and egos, I got to meet, support and help some incredible folk, and that means the world to me. That is why this job is important, that is why the role of councillor is important, it’s so much more than old style politics and we need balance to take things forward and fully represent our county.”
Of the parties contesting all nine wards in the election the Labour party has five women candidates out of 16, the Conservatives have three out of nine, the Greens have four out of nine and the Lib Dems have five out of nine.
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