A report by the Equal Opportunities Commission finds that the UK comes 33rd in a world league table of women politicians, a worse record than most of Europe and many third world countries.

Just 18 per cent of MPs in the new parliament are women compared to 42.7 per cent in Sweden and 30.9 per cent in Germany. Civil war torn Rwanda has 27.7 per cent female representation and Mozambique 30 per cent.

The report reignites the debate over women-only shortlists following the policy's effect of a temporary increase in Labour women MPs in 1997. The policy was abandoned after a court ruling in 1996 but Labour has a manifesto commitment to allow political parties to introduce positive action policies.