The A-list may have died in the UK as a whole but positive discrimination in favour of women and ethnic minority Conservatives is alive and kicking in the Welsh Party.
Writing on his blog Nick Bourne AM, Leader of the Conservatives in the Cardiff Assembly, has defended his belief in positive discrimination. He is making four key proposals:
- "The establishment of a priority list of candidates for target seats, with specific emphasis on getting more women and people from ethnic minorities into winnable positions. This list will be drawn up from approved candidates by the Welsh Conservatives’ board of management."
- "Local associations in target seats to ensure at least half of those candidates put forward for final selection to be women or from an ethnic minority background."
- "Mentoring and training for candidates, and also for local associations."
- "For regional lists the first available vacancy should be a woman or ethnic minority candidate. Where there is no incumbent the top spot on the regional list should go to a woman or ethnic minority candidate."
Aware of likely opposition from rank-and-file members he concludes:
Tim Montgomerie