Letters to the editor | 7 January 2006

More women MPs, please

From Amber Rudd
Sir: Rod Liddle’s article on women candidates in the Conservative party contains an irritating and often repeated inaccuracy. (‘Let’s not forget the weirdos and halfwits’, 17/24 December). He refers to ‘the refusal of women to put themselves forward as potential candidates’. No such refusal has taken place. Women are putting themselves forward. As one of the women on this list, I know many of the others and know them to be just as talented and capable as their male colleagues. In fact the candidates’ list, from which the target seats will be selecting next year, is currently 25 per cent women.

Please do not credit us with ‘plain good sense’ and therefore no interest in active politics. Don’t patronisingly pop us back in the home with that belittling phrase. We can be just as ambitious, pushy and single-minded as our male colleagues. It is hoped that this time around the constituencies select women at least in proportion to their representation on the list, so that the Conservative party can significantly increase the number of women MPs without any reduction in the quality.