Having had a lovely weekend doing lots of non political things, I was really amused this evening to read in full the Sunday Times article in which I am quoted as saying all MPs are like clones.

I had been woken this morning by a laughing whip (via a telephone call obviously) and a freind who alerted me to the fact that I thought he was a clone!

I have just clicked onto Conservative home and the comment thread has made me laugh even more.

During a busy Friday afternoon when telephoned by a journalist I was asked what two pieces of advice did I have for Chloe? I will give you my answer at the end of this blog.

We then went onto talk about her chances of promotion.

I did not say Conservative women are passionate (although I am sure we all are!) I said that women are more passionate about individual issues and tend to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in, whereas the men operated more like drones who worked away at the agenda. I even described how sometimes I looked at the men en masse in the voting lobby, all dressed the same, all buzzing around and how the women really stick out as no two of us are alike and we all could be identified for the individual issues we champion.

I did, however, say that although we want to see more individual people in politics with personality, if a party leader is faced with the choice of an interesting individual woman or a dull man for a promotion, the dull man would win out, it’s safer.

It was a mobile and not a good line and I didn’t do what I normally do, which is email the quote. A lesson learnt!

My two pieces of advice to Chloe were;

1. Never talk to journalists.

2. Never talk to journalists.

Silence, followed by an embarrassed laugh.

I rest my case!