THE Labour party is today expected to decide whether its prospective parliamentary candidate for the Leyton & Wanstead seat will be selected from an all-female shortlist.
The national party is due to discuss the selection process for the Labour candidacy, which is vacant following sitting MP Harry Cohen's decision not to stand after his role in the expenses scandal.
The Guardian understands the constituency party would strongly oppose any attempt by the national party to impose an all female-shortlist.
Local members are also reportedly concerned that it is taking too long to select a candidate.
Ed Northover, Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate and Lib Dem Farooq Quereshi have both stepped up their campaigning in recent weeks and local Labour party members are concerned about slipping behind.
All female-shortlists have been used by the Labour party in recent years as a way of ensuring it selects more women candidates for parliament.
In Walthamstow, an all female-shortlist was used in the selection of Stella Creasy as the prospective parliamentary candidate for Labour at the next election.
All-female lists are controversial with some, who believe preventing men from standing merely represents another form of discrimination.
David Cameron, Conservative leader, has recently announced his party will also impose all-female shortlists in some constituencies to the fury of some Tories, notably former Chingford MP Lord Norman Tebbit.
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