Conservatives set to impose shortlists to increase women and ethnic candidates

The Tory leadership is preparing to take radical action to improve the party's image by ensuring more women and ethnic minority candidates are selected for Westminster.

Theresa May, the Conservatives chairman, will insist that the party considers imposing on local associations both 50:50 shortlists of men and women and a so-called "gold list" of high-flying women and ethnic hopefuls.

Mrs May's plans, which will come into force next summer, emerged as MPs renewed speculation about a possible leadership challenge to Iain Duncan Smith in the wake of poor poll ratings.

Many Tories were dismayed yesterday by an ICM poll putting them on 27 per cent, their lowest showing for four years, and only just ahead of the Lib Dems on 23 per cent. With Labour on 41 per cent, the results underline claims of many backbenchers that even "Cheriegate" could not dislodge the Government's popularity with the voters.

Mrs May, the first woman chairman of the Conservatives, is understood to be determined to effect change if, as expected, the latest tranche of Parliamentary selections fails to produce enough women. The party currently has only 14 women MPs, none from ethnic minorities and only one, Alan Duncan, who is openly gay.

Mrs May told the party conference in Bournemouth that she wanted a "step change" towards a more equal gender split for winnable seats.

A senior Tory source dismissed the usual argument from Tory activists that it would be unfair to change the selection process half way through a Parliament.

"If a private corporation had a department, equivalent to a local association, which had a job vacancy, then it would automatically be sent a list of candidates from human resources at head office. Why should we be any different?" the source said.

All-women shortlists have been ruled out but the 50:50 idea is seen as a sensible compromise which will allow local associations to keep their central role in selection.