At The Jo Cox Foundation, we believe in the power of politics and the importance of everyone’s voices being heard. When more people participate in the political process, our democracy becomes stronger.
Jo was a firm advocate of a 50:50 Parliament, one in which there are equal numbers of women and men serving as MPs, and one of her last actions as a parliamentarian was signing a motion recognising those who campaigned for women’s right to vote. Following the most recent General Election in 2019, the proportion of women in Parliament increased to 34%, but this is still falling significantly short of the 50% target.
Our work on the Jo Cox Civility Commission and recent Electoral Commission research indicates that abuse towards elected representatives is a major risk to equal political participation and representation. Through our work on this issue, we seek to end the abuse and intimation that discourages so many from entering political life and particularly impacts diverse representation
Some of the key recommendations of the Civility Commission involve political education. When we all understand politics better, and are more involved in political life, we can together build a more civil discourse. Whatever the result of the upcoming General Election on 4 July, we intend to work with the next government to ensure a commitment to political literacy in schools and beyond.
While securing the implementation of our recommendations such as mandatory political and media education may take some time, one action you can take today is register to vote and play your part in democracy in the UK. Remember, even if you’ve registered to vote before, you will need to register again if you have moved house or changed your name for any reason.
Organisations such as Shout Out UK, I Have A Voice and Democracy Classroom have excellent resources about how our political systems operate and the importance of voting. For more information about voting requirements such as ID and who is eligible to vote, visit the Electoral Commission website.
Key voting registration deadlines
- Register to vote by 11:59pm on 18 June 2024
- Apply for a postal vote online by 5pm on 19 June 2024
- Apply for a proxy vote by 5pm on 26 June 2024
- General Election Day: 4 July 2024
Abuse and intimidation of our elected representatives – including violence towards them – is one of the biggest threats to our democracy in the UK.
In the run-up to the 2024 General Election on 4 July, we are urging candidates to commit to running a respectful campaign by signing and sharing the Civility Pledge. Through the election and beyond, we are also campaigning for the implementation of our Jo Cox Civility Commission recommendations to ensure abuse has no place in politics.