DAVID CAMERON will risk a row with grassroots Conservatives today by stripping them of their right to choose parliamentary candidates in his quest for more women Tory MPs. The final selection will be handed to a small group of local officials who sit on the executive council.

Critics may argue that the move is against the spirit of a members’ ballot last year in which rank-and-file Tories fought off an attempt by MPs to deny them the right to choose their leader. But Mr Cameron, unveiling a series of changes to selection procedures, says that it is necessary to fulfil his pledge to see far more women Tory MPs.

Under his plans, Conservative members will instead be involved in creating a shortlist from which a candidate is chosen and have a ballot to endorse whoever is finally chosen by their officers.

In another change, members will be required to include two women on every shortlist of four. The A-list of approved candidates, which has been expanded from 100 to 150, now consists of almost 60 per cent women.

Local parties with fewer than 300 members will also be forced to choose parliamentary candidates by an open primary system in which any local voter can participate — even those who are not party members — although this will apply to only a handful.

Of 22 constituencies that have chosen candidates, only seven selected women.

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