I'd like to thank the committee for their report and the excellent work of the Chair and the committee. The fact that our democracy doesn’t reflect our demography is a matter that should deeply concern us all. How can we possibly hope to increase engagement in the democratic process if large sections of the electorate feel they are not represented? At the last council elections, only 42 per cent of the electorate bothered to vote. And it's not just apathy; it's reflective of disengagement with the political process. People are turned off politics and as a result are less likely to vote, let alone stand for political office.

The recent Hansard Society 'Audit of Political Engagement', the latest in a 15-year audit looking at public opinion about politics, our political system and the health of our democracy, found that opinions about politics were at their lowest level ever, much lower than in the aftermath of the MPs' expenses scandal. Three quarters of the British public say our systems of Government need quite a lot or a great deal of improvement. Fifty per cent say that the main parties and politicians don't care about people like them, and 75 per cent say that the main political parties are so divided that they cannot serve the best interests of the country. So, people have more faith in the military and the judiciary to act in the best interests of the nation.

With this level of distrust in politics, how can we hope to encourage larger numbers of women, black and minority ethnic communities, people with disabilities and members of the LGBT community to stand as candidates? There's much ongoing work and support needed to encourage under-represented groups to enter politics and stand in winnable seats; it's of the utmost importance.

While I welcome many of the measures outlined by the committee in its recommendations, as they will make it easier for people from under-represented groups to serve as councillors, we are fighting an uphill battle unless we restore faith in our political systems. And that is something that we all have to work on. So, from community councillors to Members of Parliament, we must show that we are here to work for our constituents, not to score cheap party-political shots off each other. We must show the electorate that we are here to carry out their wishes, that they are our masters and not the other way around.

And we have to act like grown-ups, because, sometimes, there is hate and vitriol that exists in political discourse that serves no purpose other than—