WE note with some amusement that Tory leader David Cameron has come down in favour of all-women shortlists as part of his strategy for the forthcoming General Election.

He notes there is a lack of women candidates, as well as ethnic minority candidates, in all parties but particularly in his. No change there then.

But his solution, of women-only lists (and potentially ethnic minority lists) is we believe, deeply flawed.

You have only to look at what happened in Blaenau Gwent in 2005 when Labour imposed an all-women list on the constituency, forcing local favourite Peter Law to leave the party and stand as an independent. Not only did he win, defeating the chosen candidate Maggie Jones and overturning a 19,000 Labour majority, but his triumph had far-reaching effects on local politics with the birth of People¹s Voice.

Labour has been reeling from that disaster ever since as one of its traditional strongholds turned against it.

Nobody in their right mind can oppose female or ethnic minority candidates.

But they should stand on their merits and if they are good enough they will win.

A constituency has a right to vote for whomever it wants and a good local candidate, male or female, will often get in ahead of a party¹s nominated candidate.

Constituencies do not like to be dictated to.

If the major parties have not learned the lesson of Blaenau Gwent they deserve whatever humiliation they heap on themselves.