LETTER: Who is truly representative?

Sir: Your article on those Labour prospective candidates who have benefited from single-sex shortlists ("Women who are the face of New Labour", 25 May) made for instructive reading. Although all are, no doubt, excellent candidates in their own right, it is clear that they, no more than the males they will be replacing, are not remotely equipped, either by background or training, to understand the wealth creation process on which the policies of their party will ultimately depend.

Rather than enriching the skills base at Westminster, they will add to the already depressingly large majority of MPs with no tangible business experience.

Perhaps all parties should consider quotas to ensure that our legislature and executive have access to the skills needed to run a modern economy in a competitive world.

Yours faithfully,

ANDREW MITCHELL

London, W4

26 May