It was not long after the election of a record number of women to the House of Commons in 1997 that the backlash began. The criticism was all-encompassing: they wore the wrong clothes they voted the wrong way and they were concerned with the wrong issues. Above all they were accused of failing to make difference to have failed women and were dismissed by some as âBlairâs Babesâ. Drawing on in-depth interviews with more than half of the new Labour women MPs Sarah Childs reveals how these women actually experienced being MPs and explores whether they acted for and like women â in their constituencies in parliament and in government. She presents important insights into theories of womenâs political representation showing that the relationship between womenâs descriptive and substantive representation is complicated that party and gender identities are crucial that womenâs differences must be acknowledged and that it might not always be possible for women representatives to act for women even if they want to. Including a key section on womenâs selection for parliament; whether women MPs act as role models; why it is important that women should be present in politics; as well as exploring in depth the subject of womenâs substantive representation New Labourâs Women MPs is essential reading for all those interested in women and politics legislative studies political behaviour and representation. . Language: English