AN accusation that Tories trying to deselect Elizabeth Truss in SW Norfolk are jealous women-haters was dismissed this week by new Norwich MP Chloe Smith.

AN accusation that Tories trying to deselect Elizabeth Truss in SW Norfolk are jealous women-haters was dismissed this week by new Norwich MP Chloe Smith.

Asked if misogyny lay behind the campaign to unseat Ms Truss, Ms Smith said: “I don't think that's at play in this. And Norfolk has had some outstanding women MPs.”

SW Norfolk was represented for almost 20 years (1987-2005) by Baroness (Gillian) Shephard and she too dismissed the allegation. “This is ludicrous”, she said. “I see no hint of it in the attitudes to Elizabeth Truss, whom I strongly support as an intelligent, experienced candidate who is willing to learn. There is irritation locally with a truncated selection procedure caused by the fact that so many MPs have decided to go because of the expenses scandals. People feel they are not being given as much say as they would like.”

The charge of misogyny was made - in the Guardian - by Dorothy Luckhurst who, along with Ms Truss, is on the 'Cameron A-list' of candidates.

The battle between Ms Truss and her opponents in the local association was “nothing so noble … as a confrontation between Conservative central office and local democracy”, she said.

Ms Smith also emphasised that the decision on whether or not the local association sticks with Ms Truss has to be taken by it.

Ms Truss's fate will be determined at a special general meeting on November 16. It was called by the association's executive after it was revealed in the media, a day after her selection as the local candidate, that she had had an affair with a Conservative MP. Many members of the association previously knew nothing about it.

A “Westminster dinner” to have been attended by MP Christopher Fraser and Ms Truss last Friday was cancelled last week because an insufficient number of tickets had been sold. The event, in Swaffham, would have been a chance for local Conservatives to meet their new candidate.

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