Tories look to increase number of female MPs

LONDON, Aug 22 (Reuters) The Conservative party is to change the way it selects parliamentary candidates to increase the number of women on shortlists as part of leader David Cameron's drive to modernise the party.

The push to get more women in parliament was part of Cameron's campaign for the leadership last year and follows Labour's decision to introduce all-women shortlists in many of its seats for the 1997 election.

Currently, less than 10 per cent of Conservative MPs are women and Cameron has said the party must change if it is to appeal to a wider audience.

By contrast, Labour has 97 female MPs, 27 per cent of its total.

According to gender equality pressure group the Fawcett Society, Britain ranks as 51st in the world for its proportion of female MPs with Rwanda first and Sweden second.

''I'm trying to make sure we have a process that helps to correct the under-representation of women in the Conservative party,'' Cameron told a news conference, surrounded by female candidates.

''I want this to be a modern party that represents Britain as it is today. Today with 200 members of parliament and less than 10 percent women, it is not an effective representation of this country.'' But Cameron could face resistance to his proposals from the more traditional and right-wing members of the party who have seen a raft of changes introduced since Cameron became leader in December 2005.

Labour party chairwoman Hazel Blears said Cameron's need to change the rules showed his party had not changed.

''David Cameron has yet again failed to back up his warm words with action,'' she said.

The 39-year-old Tory said he was reluctant to impose all-women shortlists on constituencies as it was a ''step too far'' but added he would review the process towards the end of this year and ''reserved the right to take further steps'' if needed.

Since becoming leader, Cameron has introduced a ''priority list'' designed to increase the number of women and black and minority ethnic candidates.

Candidates for Conservative-held or target constituency associations are expected to be selected from the list, which currently contains around 150 candidates, 60 per cent of them women.

Twenty two candidates have been selected under the new arrangements, with seven of those women -- a figure that Cameron hailed as a success.

Under the new rules announced yesterday, two of the final four candidates shortlisted for selection in each constituency must be women.

Cameron became Conservative leader following three straight election defeats for the party. He has said he wants to transform it into a modern political force that focuses on such topics as the environment rather than the traditional Tory subjects of immigration and lower taxes.

REUTERS DKA VC0850