▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁an ▁industrial ▁trib unal ▁found ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party ▁had ▁broken ▁the ▁law , ▁un anim ously ▁r uling ▁that ▁all - w omen ▁short lists ▁were ▁illegal ▁under ▁the ▁Sex ▁Disc rim ination ▁Act ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁in ▁prevent ing ▁men ▁from ▁entering ▁a ▁profession . ▁ ▁The ▁ 3 4 ▁candidates ▁who ▁had ▁already ▁been ▁selected ▁by ▁all - w omen ▁short lists ▁were ▁not ▁required ▁to ▁seek ▁re - selection , ▁but ▁all ▁ 1 4 ▁un fin ished ▁all - w omen ▁short list ▁se lections ▁were ▁susp ended . ▁Dr ▁Je pson ▁and ▁Mr ▁Dy as - El li ott ▁did ▁not ▁seek ▁compens ation ▁for ▁their ▁loss . ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁general ▁election , ▁ 3 5 ▁out ▁of ▁ 3 8 ▁Labour ▁AWS ▁candidates ▁were ▁elected . ▁ ▁The ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ▁also ▁opposed ▁gender ▁quot as , ▁prefer ring ▁to ▁persu ade ▁constitu encies ▁to ▁select ▁female ▁candidates ▁in ▁w inn able ▁seats . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁European ▁parliament ▁elections , ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Democr ats ▁used ▁a ▁system ▁called ▁" zi pping " ▁in ▁which ▁equal ▁numbers ▁of ▁men ▁and ▁women ▁were ▁elected ▁as ▁M EP s . ▁▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁general ▁election ▁Following ▁the ▁reduction ▁in ▁female ▁MP s ▁after ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁general ▁election ▁and ▁increased ▁lo bb ying ▁by ▁gender ▁equality ▁advoc ates , ▁Labour ▁introduced ▁the ▁Sex