The Conservatives putting forward ten female candidates in the local elections in Lichfield and Burntwood is “far from something to celebrate”, a councillor has said.
The group, who will stand for election to Lichfield District Council in May, were unveiled by the Tories on International Women’s Day yesterday (8th March).
It comes after criticism of the party by a former Conservative councillor who was forced to stand as an independent and ditched from the cabinet after questioning the decision to de-select her as a candidate in favour of “two men aged over 60”.
Cllr Doug Pullen, leader of Lichfield District Council, said it was “fitting” to announce the female candidates on International Women’s Day.
But Cllr Joanne Grange, independent representative for Chadsmead, said the fanfare was not the success the Conservatives might have thought it was.
“Team blue has only managed to find ten women to stand in the May elections in the 47 Lichfield District Council seats. How many men will they be putting forward?”
“It’s a bizarre failure to highlight. Only finding candidates for a little over 20% of the seats is a long way from equity.
“It’s difficult to know whether they just don’t have the candidates or whether it’s the selection process, but it’s far from something to celebrate.”
Cllr Joanne Grange, Lichfield District Council
The confirmed Conservative candidates for the local elections are:
- Janice Silvester-Hall – Hammerwich with Wall
- Leona Leung – Hammerwich with Wall
- Deb Baker – St Johns
- Sonia Wilcox – Alrewas and Fradley
- Angela Lax – Stowe
- Norma Bacon – Chasetown
- Heather Tranter – Summerfield and All Saints
- Nikki Hawkins – Armitage with Handsacre
- Serena Mears – Highfield
- Sally Gilbert – Leomansley
These women might be decent candidates in some respects. But they are all members of the right wing party. The party that has ruined not just the UK economy, but seems intent on removing workers’, environmental, & human rights. Currently on a path to removing UK from the protections of the European Convention of Human Rights in its failure to in any way solve small boats problem caused by Tory Brexit. Selling off our NHS, our waters, transport etc. The sewage party. So this would seem to say something about Tory councillor candidates in general. That they would ally themselves with this nasty scandal ridden, corrupt, incompetent party. Tories sold out farmers, fishing, agriculture & business. We are the sick man of Europe -all caused by David Cameron’s inability to get rid of the ERG faction (party within a party) – of which Brexiter Michael Fabricant if not a member of – seems to have attended meetings. UK and Lichfield deserves better.
Oh come on, just reflect on why…..Woman can’t be Freemasons, woman are only tolerated on the golf course/clubhouse, woman are seen as sensitive and don’t understand banter and for an example of male dominance there’s the infamous “Presidents Club” do. As such women are shut out from where most local politics/business is discussed. Why would it be any different in Lichfield?
With Shirley Barnett and Janet Eagland standing down (it would appear) along with Liz Little and only 10 candidates standing, according to my calculations if every candidate wins the female Conservative representation can only go up by 2 max if Tranter and Hawkins hold. Although I would not bet the house on Norma Bacon winning for example. So a best case is probably one additional female councillor but they may go backwards! They take us for fools they really do!
0 Female candidates in the Tamworth Constituency it would seem and only 3 in the Burntwood area?
Re candidates I would imagine they have approached and then recruited non Conservative members off the street who are active in the community i.e. school governors etc. No doubt the churn rate will be high when they meet the Antidiluvian men such as masonic Cross and Greatorex.
Has Doug Pullen bailed from Highfield or Wai Lee-Ho? Running scared?
Poor Tina needs to take her head out of the sand. We haven’t had a “right wing” representational government for years and the economy would have been equally, if not worse through Labour’s push for extended lockdowns. And we all know now that lockdowns were an orchestrated sham.
I couldn’t have put it better myself, Tina.
What’s the weather like on your planet, jonesy85?
Spot on, Tina. The Tories have lurched to the far right, and the British people are paying the price with less freedom, less opportunity, fewer rights, and less money. The legacy of the Tory government is a more divided country, food banks, a broken NHS, a care crisis, strikes and a damaged relationship with our nearest neighbours and allies. The British people deserve a country they can be proud of, not this Tory mess and certainly not an MP who is more interested in spreading hate on Twitter and GB News than representing his constituents.
Looking forward to the Tory candidates calling at my door. I live on Minors Hill which is historically a Tory stronghold in this town. You will find a very different story these days so please come and explain the lies that have been told by successive Tory/Brexit/UKIP governments over Brexit, Europe, Nurses, Train Drivers etc etc. Explain why we are being told to hate Gary Lineker for telling the truth. Explain why the Board of Deputies of British Jews are outraged by the proposed asylum laws and why Braverman is now personally upset because her husband is Jewish and she feels the pain. Then you can reflect of the Liar and we can discuss your support for him – or otherwise! There was a time when party politics were set aside for council elections – not any more.
All I’m going to say is that the red side of the council seems to have a really strong candidate for Stowe – and I for one feel like it’s time to change there!
It hurts me to say that I’m changing my colour flag this year
What a bunch of moaners
It is unfair to say that local Conservatives are misogynist. They voted for Liz Truss. Look how well that turned out.
@ProffesorPinneaple. They voted for Truss because the alternative was selecting ‘someone like him’ who the red wall voters will never vote for. Truss won in game of top trumps after Williamson lent her the votes to get into the final 2 because he thought she would blow up during the campaign. Don’t think it is true ask yourself why Andy Street got elected on the same day the Conservative Police and crime commissioner candidate bombed out with the same voters in the same booths. The membership want Boris back but the MPs will net let them have him.