Cameron's cuties: The 80 women likely to be among MPs in Tories' new female-friendly party
By
Glen Owen and Brendan Carlin
Last updated at 11:47 PM on 24th October 2009
Scroll down to bottom to see list of new rivals to Blair's Babes
If David Cameron wins the General Election, the number of female Tory MPs is likely to more than quadruple.
It would mean an influx on the scale of Blair’s Babes - the 101 Labour women elected in the party’s 1997 landslide.
Undeterred by fierce opposition from the Conservative old guard, Mr Cameron last week announced his intention to introduce all-women constituency shortlists.
Backing: David Cameron, pictured with new Conservative MP Chloe Smith after her Norwich North By-Election win, has pledged to bring in more female parliamentarians
He may even offer peerages to up to a dozen male MPs to free up seats for the women - already dubbed Cameron’s Cuties or Dave’s Divas.
An analysis by The Mail on Sunday, based on opinion-poll forecasts, suggests that the current crop of 19 Tory women will swell to 80, breaking the stranglehold of the pinstriped, middle-class males who have dominated the party for decades.
The CVs and backgrounds of the hopefuls also suggest a sweeping change to the social make-up of the party.
But traditionalists are whispering warnings based on the experience of the Blair Babes.
Many of the 1997 intake failed to adjust to the hours and pressure of Parliament, with nine departing at the 2001 Election - either through resignations or losing their seats - and a further 22 going in 2005.
Last night saw the first signs of a concerted rebellion by grassroots Tories.
One well-placed source said there was talk of a ‘fighting fund’ to pay for a legal challenge to all-female shortlists, adding: ‘Some MPs are outraged.
'It’s a disgraceful attack on the freedom of local party associations to pick their candidates, who should be judged on their merits.’
The source said that, initially, the revolt would focus on behind-the-scenes talks to get the Tory leader to back down quietly. But if that failed, there could be co-ordinated ‘disobedience’ by local associations.
And Former Tory Cabinet Minister Gillian Shephard said: ‘It is an insult to women for anyone to give the impression that they need special treatment. It doesn’t happen in any other profession. I don’t live in a Harriet Harman world.’
In our pictures, the women are divided into five categories: one to 13 are current female MPs standing for re-election; 14 to 25 are candidates in easily winnable seats; 26 to 57 are candidates in marginal seats at the top of the party’s target list; 58 to 65 are candidates who could win if the current big Tory poll lead is accurate; 66 to 80 have not yet been picked, but are frontrunners for around 15 plum Tory seats expected to become vacant before the Election. And their prospects will be greatly enhanced if Mr Cameron goes ahead with all-women shortlists.
If Cameron stopped for one moment he just might see what an unmitigated disaster the Blair Babes have been. Just the mention of Harman, Smith Cooper, Beckett, Flint, Blears etc. should be enough for him to back off this ridiculous course of action. I seem to remember one of the things these Blair babes demanded upon election to Parliament was to breast feed in the House of Commons. Didn't Kelly give birth to a number of children whilst a serving MP with the resultant time off for maternity leave. Obviously her duties to her constituents would have to take second place to her babies.
It is so patronising to women to suggest they cannot succeed without discrimination. There is only one way to getting a job and that is being the best man/woman for that position.
Some of the existing Conservative women MPs are less than impressive. Of course that is not to say all the men are top notch !! Just to reiterate that it has on every occasion to be the best person for the job.
- Jan Wiltshire, Melksham Wiltshire, 25/10/2009 11:03
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