Jemima Lewis: Why would any woman want to become an MP?
I have noticed that my male friends talk about politics in the same way that they talk about sport
Published: 10 December 2005
Because I am of a nostalgic bent - fond of suet puddings, Surteesian fox-hunting scenes and old men in mustard-coloured cords - I am often taken for a Tory. A couple of years ago, I was invited to become one. I was chatting to an opposition minister at a party when he suddenly clasped my hands in delight. "You must become a Tory MP!" he cried, with the urgency of Archimedes springing from his bath. "You're just the kind of person we need! You're young! You're a libertarian! YOU'RE A WOMAN!"
Flattering though it was to be asked to serve my country as a token female, I declined the offer. But perhaps David Cameron can make a more persuasive case, as he embarks on his nationwide mission to entice more women into the party.
Article Length: 776 words (approx.)
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