Have the Tories turned left wing?

Since David Cameron was elected as leader of the Tories there has definitely been a big shift to the left. The latest proclomation that 50% of all shortlists now have to be female to try and bump up the number of woman MP's is the sort of left liberal crap that you would expect from the Lib Dums or the über-PC Labour Stazi.

I emailed David Cameron the other day over this and got a reply today from one of his secretaries:

Are you familiar with the phrase "positive discrimination isn't"?

Arbitrary quotas and positive discrimination is one of Labour's worst traits and I find it frankly bizarre that you think a good way of winning the next election is to force local parties to put forward women candidates regardless of whether there are any suitable and willing candidates or not.

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Dear Stuart,

Thank you for writing to David Cameron - I am replying on his behalf.

We appreciate what you have to say regarding changes to the candidate selection process, and David Cameron is very grateful to you for taking the time to give him your views - he does take on board what people say to him and likes to keep up to date with people's views.

Firstly, it is absolutely undeniable that there is an imbalance in the Conservative Parliamentary Party at present: 9 out of 10 Conservative MPs are male and white. In fact, female representation in the Party has remained stagnant since 1932, increasing by just 4, from 13 to 17.
David Cameron MP made clear in his campaign to be Conservative Party Leader that this is something he would seek to redress, and the Party gave him their strong backing as Leader on this basis.

The changes to the selection process introduced by David Cameron last week actually give more say to local associations in the selection process. Members are able to draw up a shortlist of four candidates, and ratify the final decision made by their executive. You may also like to know that it has always been the case that local associations can opt for all-women shortlists, should they so wish. As before, it remains their choice.

Finally, we will not compromise on ability. Rather than do this, David Cameron's attempt to redress the imbalance will ensure a greater pool of skills from which to draw.

Thank you once again for taking the time and trouble to write.

Yours sincerely,

Anna Biles
Correspondence Secretary
David Cameron's Office
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA

www.conservatives.com

She doesn't get it does she? None of them seem to. If you have 6 candidates for a seat - 4 men and 2 women - two of those men would have to be cast aside regardless of whether they were better candidates than the two women just so that the Tories can artificially bump up their quota of female candiates and MP's.

I really think that this will damage the Tories in the next election.