UK: Labour imposes women-only lists in half seats left by retiring MPs

Story here. Excerpt:

'Labour has imposed women-only shortlists on more than half of its seats left vacant by retiring MPs, an analysis by The Times shows.

Figures released by the party yesterday show that 24 of the 44 selections in seats won by Labour at the 2005 election are restricted to women. The proportion is expected to increase as dozens more Labour MPs quit before the next election.

Party officials complain that Harriet Harman is rigidly enforcing a policy that women should be fielded in half of winnable seats in each area. It means that local parties in areas where there are few sitting women Labour MPs are given little choice over selection as the party’s high command tries to meet the quota.

Ms Harman, Labour’s deputy leader, sits on a sub-committee of the National Executive Committee, which decides whether to allow an open selection or impose women-only shortlists. It is supposed to decide each seat case by case but is pushing through an increasing number of such contests.'