‘Pam Cox (Labour, Colchester)’ by Eleanor Church
The 40% Project was launched to celebrate a milestone in the life of the British parliament – and of women in politics. A year on, its organisers want to take it to the next level.
Following the 2024 General Election, 129 of the 330 MPs elected were women – before you do the maths, that’s 40%.
Inspired by this watershed moment, the RPS Women in Photography group launched the 40% Project with the ambition of shooting a portrait of each female MP. Since then, 115 female MPs from constituencies across the UK have been paired with photographers to create a gallery of portraits.
Now, RPS members and student photographers are being asked to join the celebration – and change the way audiences perceive British politics.
“We’ve expanded the project to welcome participation from all RPS members and will soon be opening it up to photography students – with a particular emphasis on encouraging more women to get involved,” says Sue Wright, chair of the RPS Women in Photography group.
“This broader inclusion has already brought fresh energy to the project, and we’re excited to see a growing and diverse body of work taking shape.”
Here, seven photographers share their portraits of women MPs – and the stories behind the images.
1. ‘Pam Cox (Labour, Colchester)’ by Eleanor Church (main image, above)
“Pam Cox is Colchester’s first woman MP and the city’s first Labour MP since the WWII. We met at Hilly Fields to catch the evening light. Overlooking Colchester, ‘Britain’s first city’, it’s a haven for nature and walkers and has been the site of important historical events for thousands of years.
“As a historian, sociologist, criminologist and now politician, it felt like a good spot to take her portrait. Never has it felt more important to have people elected that have integrity, are listeners and doers, thoughtful, intelligent, hardworking and kind. Pam is all of these.”
2. ‘Anneliese Dodds MP (Labour, Oxford East)’ by Dee Robinson
“The whole project was a collaborative process. Anneliese had some ideas, I visited Oxford and got some ideas of my own, and we then had a great time trying them out. It was obvious she is very much part of her constituency and well liked. I really enjoyed my time with her.”
3. ‘Caroline Nokes (Conservative, Romsey and Southampton North)’ by Tamsyn Warde
“Caroline and I talked beforehand about the location. We felt it was important that it was somewhere close to her heart. We chose the New Forest as it stretches from her back garden. As we walked to the spot she had chosen, deer leapt over the fences and cattle grazed next to her back wall. It felt a million miles from the Houses of Parliament. It was clear this was the place Caroline felt most at home.”
4. ‘Claire Hanna (SDLP, Belfast South and Mid Down)’ by Allyson Klein
“I met Claire Hanna in Belfast at Ormeau Park on the first sunny day we’d seen in a while. Though it was still chilly, the sun and fresh air made our visit extra special. It was so lovely to see her ride up to meet me, something I hadn't expected.
“Since she lives and works nearby Claire said it made more sense to travel locally. She is a member of the SDLP and was the first person to speak Irish during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on 17 March 2025. She said, ‘Lá Fhéile Pádraig shona daoibh agus Seachtain na Gaeilge daoibh’, which translates as ‘Happy St Patrick’s Day and Happy Irish Language Week to you.’
“In addition to making history, Claire invited Keir Starmer to come to Belfast for the Fleadh Cheoil, the largest gathering of Irish traditional musicians in the world.”
5. ‘Jess Brown-Fuller MP (Liberal Democrat, Chichester)’ by Livvi Grant
“I met Jess in Bosham on a blustery spring afternoon, just as the Easter holidays were beginning. Families were out enjoying the fresh sea air and the sweeping views across the water – a familiar scene in this part of West Sussex. Jess knows it well. As a child, she came here for Bonfire Night and the place still clearly holds meaning for her. Jess has lived in the Chichester area since the 1990s. She was elected as the Liberal Democrat MP in July 2024.
“As the wind blew our hair across our faces we talked about her roots here, and her strong commitment to protecting the local environment. It felt fitting to photograph her here – not in Westminster, but in a place that reflects who she is: grounded in her community and focused on making a difference close to home.”
6. ‘Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat, Tiverton and Minehead)’ by Sue Macpherson
“Rachel Gilmour is the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for the newly formed constituency of Tiverton and Minehead. She won her seat in the 2024 General Election.
“I met Rachel at her home in Bampton and she greeted me in her wonderfully elegant and colourful outfit saying she didn’t want to come across as too formal.
“Rachel has deep roots in the Somerset and Devon region, having spent much of her life there. Her background includes experience of the National Farmers’ Union and head of strategy at the Environment Agency, which gives her relevant knowledge for the rural constituency she represents.
“We were amused to find out we had been to the same junior school. I took photographs inside and out and preferred the natural lighting and more relaxed images produced outside.”
7. ‘Chi Onwurah (Labour, Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)’ by Michaela Simpson
“Chi Onwurah has served as an MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West – previously Newcastle Upon Tyne Central – since 2010. With an Imperial College London degree in electrical engineering and a Manchester Business School MBA, she sits as chair of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee.
“We agreed to meet at her constituency office beforehand, but on the day of our February shoot the light levels indoors were pretty dark and Chi was happy to head outside so we could find better light. I was shooting film on my Olympus OM-1 and 85mm f/2 lens with Tri-X. Chi is a keen photographer and owns an OM-1 as well.
“It was bitterly cold with a northerly wind whipping through the lanes of central Newcastle. We worked quickly and tried two or three locations nearby, finding shelter where we could. This image was the last of the roll I shot that day and the one I feel captures her warmth, strength and quiet intelligence.”
Find out more about the 40% Project and register here.