London - Prominent female Labour deputies yesterday hit back at Mr Iain Duncan Smith after the Tory leadership hopeful said all-women short-lists had produced second-rate MPs. Mr Duncan Smith said Labour's use of positive discrimination in the 1997 general election had failed to provide high-quality politicians.
His views were described as "patronising nonsense" which showed the "total vacuousness" of the Tory party. Backbencher Ms Fiona Mactaggart said: "The evidence is that there are some very strong MPs who were elected through all-women short-lists.
