Great news! Today, during my Parliamentary debate on the need for new legislation to tackle the pay gap between men and women, both the government and the opposition have committed to reviewing the adequacy of equal pay legislation, and legislating to correct any weaknesses if necessary.

The Equal Pay Act has been on the books for 45 years now, and it clearly isn’t working given that women still earn just 81p to every £1 a man earns. Women shouldn’t have to wait any longer for a fair deal in the workplace.

Regardless of which party forms the next government I will continue to push to ensure that this important issue gets the attention it deserves, and that the next Parliament finally delivers an Equal Pay Act that tackles the realities of women’s lives in the 21st century.