Exclusive:Kirsty McNeill: Women would never become politicians if job adverts were honest

Several female politicians have spoken out about the threats and abuse they receive from the public online and in person in recent years, with many saying they have been forced to step down from frontline politics because of it.

Speaking to The Scotsman to mark International Women’s Day, UK Government minister Ms McNeill said female politicians cannot accept abuse as the price of their job.

She said: “If you saw this job advertised, you wouldn’t take it.

“If you saw a job that said you will be away from your family, your family may be subject to abuse, you might be sexually harassed at work, you will be followed around the internet by people saying the most foul things, you wouldn’t take it.

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“The reason I nonetheless have taken the job knowing all of those things to be true is because there is nothing like politics for getting stuff done at scale and at speed.

“Women politicians shouldn’t just accept those things as the price of doing business - we must never accept them as the price of doing business.”

However, she said women who want to get involved in frontline politics cannot be put off by this, as having them elected is what will bring about change.

Ms McNeill, who is the MP for Midlothian, said: “I ask people to dig deep about themselves and be clear eyed about the problems.

“We must never accept them and we must always fight them, but don’t let that make you retreat from the public square, because that’s what misogynists want - they want women to feel too frightened, or in some cases simply too tired, to take their right place in the life of the nation, and we must not let them win.

“I’ve had this conversation with a number of women. These things have to be fought and defeated because the prize is very big and you have to keep your eyes on it.”

She said the UK Government is “making a really big difference” to working women’s lives by raising both the national minimum and living wages, and by increasing the basic rate of Universal Credit.

Ms McNeill said women are also benefitting from new protections in work, including against dismissal while pregnant, support for the menopause, and bereavement support for those experiencing miscarriage and baby loss.

She added: “When it comes to violence against women and girls and online safety, if you can make things a bit better then it is always worth doing.

“Women have a very pragmatic response because technology moves so fast, but that’s not a reason not to try and start.

“We’ve been able to move on things like the nudification of women and children and extreme pornography.

“I’m not naïve about the fact some people will find VPNs and ways to access some of the foulest material available in the world, and it breaks my heart that there is all this engineering prowess, creativity and innovation, and it is being put to work to harm people.”