SKIPTON MP Julian Smith has written to all secondary schools across Skipton and Ripon, inviting female students to apply to take part in this year’s International Women’s Day celebrations in Parliament.
He will select one female student from the applicants to join him in Westminster on March 8, to witness a day in the life of an MP and to see how Parliament works first hand.
The student will also be taken on a tour of No 10 Downing Street and attend a cross-party panel debate during which they will meet other students and have the chance to ask questions.
International Women’s Day in Parliament aims to inspire young women from all walks of life to get involved in politics and public service.
Mr Smith said: "I am excited to welcome a female student from the constituency to Westminster for International Women’s Day. It is a fantastic initiative which gives female students engaged in politics and current affairs the opportunity to see first-hand the workings of Parliament and the life of an MP.
"I really hope schemes such as this inspire more young women to enter politics. In the 2015 General Election, we saw the number of women in Parliament rise by about a third, with female MPs making up 29 per cent of the House of Commons Chamber.
"There is still much further to go until we have a truly balanced Parliament, but committees and groups such as the Women and Equalities Committee are making excellent progress in achieving this."
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