Nearly twice as many men as women are standing as candidates in the May 2026 UK local and devolved elections [1].
The disparity highlights a persistent barrier to female political representation at the local level. Because local councils and devolved governments form the foundation of British governance, a lack of gender balance in candidates often results in skewed legislative priorities and representation.
Analysis from the campaign group 50:50 Parliament found that the gender gap in candidate numbers is stark [1]. The data indicates a ratio of approximately two men for every woman standing for office [1].
Estimated figures show about 2,500 men are standing as candidates [1]. In contrast, there are about 1,300 women running in the contests [1]. These elections span across England, Scotland, and Wales [1].
“Women are massively under-represented,” 50:50 Parliament said [1]. The group's analysis suggests that candidate lists remain heavily skewed toward men despite efforts to increase diversity in public office.
Lewis Denison of ITV News said analysis by 50:50 Parliament found there are twice as many men standing in May's elections than women [2]. While some reports suggest the gap is exactly double, other data indicates it is nearly twice as many [1, 2].
The findings come as voters prepare for local and devolved ballots this month. The disparity in candidate numbers suggests that structural or social hurdles continue to discourage women from seeking local office, a trend that persists across multiple regions of the UK.
“Women are massively under-represented.”
The 2:1 ratio of male to female candidates indicates that local government recruitment and candidacy pipelines in the UK have not achieved gender parity. This gap suggests that while high-profile national roles may see more women, the entry-level 'pipeline' of local politics remains heavily male-dominated, which may limit the future number of women available for national leadership roles.
