Bradford Council’s Tory group leader is calling for more women to get involved in local politics.

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, who was until recently the Conservatives’ only female member of the decision-making executive, has also criticised the ruling Labour group for its lack of women on the new executive.

Coun Hawkesworth said people believe a glass ceiling exists which stops women from progressing to the highest ranks of political life in the district – but that has not been her experience.

She said: “I do not think for a second that my gender came into the equation when, last month, I successfully stood for election as Conservative Group leader.

“Having said that, I do not believe we have anything like enough female Conser-vative councillors in Bradford City Hall.

“Further increasing the numbers of women standing as Conservative candidates is one of my primary objectives as Conservative Group leader. It is unfortunate that the Council’s Labour-controlled executive does not include a single female member, despite the Labour group having a number of very capable women on its benches.” Out of the 90 councillors representing the district on the Council, a total of 24 or 26.7 per cent are female, with Labour having the most at 11, the Conservatives on six and the Liberal Democrats with five.

Councillor Ian Greenwood, the leader of the Council, said: “It is important to increase the representation of women in politics and the Labour Party has gone to great lengths to do so.

‘‘The Labour group has highly committed and talented women councillors, the majority of whom hold positions of responsibility within the Council.’’ He added: “It is regrettable that there is no female member of the executive, however, places on the executive are determined by group elections not appointments by the leader. For four years Coun Hawkesworth has been the only woman on the Tory executive, hardly a ringing endorsement of her and her party’s attitude to promoting the involvement of women.”