The Conservative Party Chairman Theresa May has urged members to try to encourage more women to consider representing the Tories.

Only nine women and one ethnic minority candidate have been selected to stand in nearly 60 seats considered winnable in the next general election.

Mrs May said constituency activists needed to choose people who represented modern Britain.

Getting more women and ethnic minorities involved is absolutely crucial Theresa May

"It is important for us as a party to have a better representation of people standing in our name to get into Parliament," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"Getting more women and ethnic minorities involved is absolutely crucial but it's about getting a more diverse range of candidates in general."

There was a call at the Tory party conference in Bournemouth in October for 50% women shortlists for candidates.

Former shadow minister Andrew Lansley said the party had to become more representative it would be "unacceptable" if after the next general election only a small percentage of Tory MPs were female.

Cross-party problem

Mrs May has refused to rule out any quota system but any moves towards "positive discrimination" are likely to be resisted by the traditionalist arm of the party.

The problem of how to attract women to politics is not restricted to the Conservative Party.

The Liberal Democrats, who have just five women MPs out of 52, appeared split on how to change the situation at their conference earlier this year.

It had been less of a problem for them, with half their candidates for the 1999 European elections, for example, women.

The party has rejected all-women shortlists and has resolved to try to encourage more women to stand.

In July, the Labour Party decided to adopt women-only shortlists in half of their winnable seats for the next general election.

There are currently 118 women MPs in the House of Commons of a total of 659 members.