Last week, MP Liz Kendall told girls at Watford Grammar School, “we need more women in parliament” – and the message couldn’t have come at a more crucial time.

Women with opinions are vilified; trolled and abused online, threatened with rape and murder by complete strangers.

SEE ALSO: Liz Kendall MP speaks to pupils at Watford Grammar School for Girls

Over the past year, MP Diane Abbott was compared to an ape by a Conservative councillor, Gina Miller received death threats for taking on the Government over Brexit and MP Jo Cox was murdered outside a surgery in her constituency.

It’s clear to see what deters women from entering politics.

But sexism and misogyny are only going to prevail if men continue to dominate the political arena, and it’s great that in Watford and Three Rivers, girls have some female figures to look up to.

While people may throw in their two pennies' worth about each of them, it’s great to see women in the positions of mayor and council leader.

Dorothy Thornhill has been the elected mayor of Watford since 2002; Sara Bedford has been leader of Three Rivers District Council since last year, taking over from another female, Ann Shaw.

And whatever you might think about Theresa May, another female Prime Minister is a great symbol of women’s progress in politics.

But still it’s not enough. Less than a third of MPs are women, and despite significant gains in the last election, they are still massively underrepresented.

Let’s hope the girls at Watford Grammar take heed of Liz Kendall’s advice and are not discouraged by cowards behind keyboards: “If politicians aren’t talking about what you want them to, get in there and change it yourself.”