“This year the Academy made it clear that a decent Best Picture requires a decent voting system. They ditched First-Past-the-Post – a system that could have handed Best Picture Oscar to a movie on barely a tenth of the vote, and backed the Alternative Vote. They wanted a serious movie with a serious mandate.

“This was one Oscar night that delivered what Academy voters intended. For all the politicians out there spellbound by celebrity that’s one message they shouldn’t forget.”

“How fitting that International Women’s Day sees news reaching us of the first woman winning both Best Director and Best picture Oscars. 

“Our politicians should take a long hard look at the countries out there that cling on to first-past-the-post and see precisely what it’s done to women’s chances in politics as well as the arts. First-Past-the-Post stands in the way of a level playing field for women candidates and voters.

“All Parties have taken steps to try and get more women on the ballot, but while retaining First-Past-the-Post and its safe seats there are precious few opportunities to deliver a breakthrough for women at Westminster. And while the Alternative Vote may have delivered for Kathryn Bigelow, it’s unlikely to produce more women MPs. Only a system that is both preferential and proportional, like the Single Transferable Vote, will let voters take the lead, and letting them chose from multiple candidates from the parties to get the politics they want to see at Westminster.