Labour to adopt anti-men rules in Birmingham Yardley selection (Birmingham Liberal Democrats)

Birmingham Liberal Democrats <info@birminghamlibdems.org.uk>

Labour to adopt anti-men rules in Birmingham Yardley selection

October 20, 2004 2:01 PM

It is reported that Labour has begun the process of recruiting a replacement for Estelle Morris, MP for Birmingham Yardley. Labour have decided to use the controversial all-women shortlist to select the Labour Candidate.

Estelle Morris recently announced her retirement from the House of Commons saying how she felt let down that new Labour had failed to deliver on a new style of politics as she had hoped that it would. Ms. Morris also attacked the Government's 'Choice' agenda by saying "The people who lose out from choice are the good hard-working families who we are in politics to represent,"

Labour have decided to use an all-women shortlist to select the Labour Candidate. This is in contrast to the Liberal Democrats approach. The Liberal Democrats selections are open to all approved candidates regardless of gender. When Labour used the all-women shortlist in the Welsh constituency of Blaenau Gwent last year, the selection procedure resulted in protests and resignations from the party.

The Liberal Democrats have selected Councillor John Hemming for Birmingham Yardley, today's Evening Mail describes Birmingham Yardley as "a highly marginal seat which the Liberal Democrats could win at the next General Election." The Liberal Democrats only need a 4.3% swing in Birmingham Yardley to win at the General Election. Birmingham Hodge Hill is in the process of selecting the candidate to fight the General Election and being just 460 votes behind Labour and needing a swing of just 1% from the by-election to win seems East Birmingham is set for two Liberal Democrat MPs at the General Election.