Theresa May

A senior Conservative has said the party is making progress in selecting more women and ethnic minority candidates.

In an interview with this month's Parliamentary Monitor magazine, shadow secretary of state for the family Theresa May says processes she put in place as Tory chairman are taking effect.

Despite the row over the deselection of some women candidates, and May's admission that the Tories are seen by many as the "nasty party", the shadow Cabinet member argues that cases such as that of Sue Catling have been blown out of proportion.

"I'm pleased to say that we've got more women standing for the party this time around than we've had before," she says.

"So that is good news. I think we can still do more, but I think we have been making a lot of progress. And we have got some good women candidates from ethnic minorities as well as other women candidates. 

"We have our first female Muslim candidate standing in Dewsbury, for example; we have an Asian businesswoman and mother standing in Enoch Powell's old seat. So we have been increasing our representation of women. 

"I'm pleased that some of the things I put in place when I was chairman - like primary selections, selection process, giving more flexibility for associations in their selection process - have been working in those seats."

Sexism

May adds that the media has ignored the fact that women have been replaced by other females and have chosen to focus on claims that the party is sexist.
 
"Sue Catling was deselected in Calder Valley and a woman replaced her," she says.

"In Colne Valley, where Amanda Harland stepped down, a woman - Maggie Throup - replaced her. In Brighton Kemptown where the male candidate stood down, a woman replaced him, so we're not doing too badly in that sense.

"I think the problem is that the media pick up on the deselections of women and make quite a negative story of it; they don't comment on when men part company with their seats.

"But what's important is that we show on the ground that we've got good female candidates and that they're actually out there and presenting a very good face and good campaign for the party."

Regrets

The former Tory chairman said she has "no regrets" over the "nasty party" speech she made in the post under Iain Duncan Smith's leadership.

"I think it had to be said and it was right to be said," she argues.

"And I think there were many in the party who felt that it was right to be said."

And she calls for positions such as her new cross-cutting role to be created in government if Michael Howard wins the election.

"I hope the creation of a post in shadow government will lead to a different approach in government, which will be one that says we need to step outside the departmental silos and have people in government who cover a wider remit that brings together strands of policy from different areas," May says.

"That's one of the benefits, I think, on family policy. We're able to look across the board.

"From the people's point of view, they don't see a lot of their needs being catered for by the Department for Work and Pensions, or the Department for Education or the Health department. They need help as a carer, or they need help as a parent and often that help comes from a variety of sources."