Tory says sorry over sexist joke

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Asked on TV if he was happy to support David Cameron's call to put more women in Parliament, Alan Scard said: "If they are attractive, yeah, I would go for it."

Mr Scard, 63, who is in charge of Gosport Conservative Association in Hampshire, said afterwards that his comments were made in jest.

He later issued a statement saying: "This was a tongue-in-cheek comment and I apologise unreservedly if it's caused any offence.

"As a proud parent of two girls, the last thing I would ever want to do is say something sexist. We will choose the best person to represent Gosport young or old, male or female, entirely on merit."

Mr Scard was speaking to Channel 4 News about his association's selection of a new candidate to fight the Westminster seat of Gosport.

Expanding on his attractive comment, he said: "I know it's a sexist thing to say but you could get the blokes saying, 'Oh you know, I would vote for her because she's really attractive', but then the other women say 'Oh I don't like her, she's too attractive'."

Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Cabinet Office, branded his comments "deeply offensive".

She told the programme: "These comments, which are deeply offensive and hugely patronising to women, are exactly the type of Tory attitude David Cameron claims to have got rid of. In the last two weeks we have seen Tories denying homophobia exists, condemning the NHS and now this blatant sexism."

A Conservative Party spokesman said that all female candidates were selected on "merit". He said: "These remarks were inappropriate and unacceptable, and Alan Scard has rightly apologised."