Tory male only list unacceptable

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 20th Jun 1999

Speaking at an event to mark International Women's Day at Barnsley Town Hall, Lib Dem Euro MP Diana Wallis has said it is 'unacceptable' that the Conservatives in this region failed to put a single women on their seven strong list for the European Parliament elections in June.

Ms. Wallis said, "I am delighted that four of the main parties in the European Parliament have signed up to a joint resolution to mark International Women's Day. One of the themes is that women's rights and gender equality be put at the top of the political agenda and in a year when we face elections at both local and European level this is a tremendous opportunity.

"It saddens me therefore that in this region the so-called opposition party failed to find a single female candidate for its list in the European Parliament elections. This is not acceptable."