- e lection ; ▁a ▁goal ▁that ▁was ▁achieved . ▁The ▁short lists ▁prov oked ▁controvers y , ▁however . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁Labour ▁Party ▁branches ▁in ▁Cro yd on ▁Central , ▁Mer th yr ▁T yd fil ▁& ▁Rh ym ney , ▁Bishop ▁A uck land ▁and ▁Sl ough ▁all ▁submitted ▁host ile ▁mot ions ▁critic ising ▁the ▁policy . ▁ ▁Conc ern ▁about ▁such ▁sex ▁disc rim ination ▁was ▁especially ▁strong ▁in ▁Sl ough ▁where ▁the ▁local ▁party ▁refused ▁to ▁even ▁co - oper ate ▁in ▁selecting ▁a ▁candidate ▁after ▁having ▁an ▁AWS ▁im posed . ▁Another ▁concern ▁was ▁that ▁AWS ▁were ▁being ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁device ▁to ▁keep ▁out ▁certain ▁men ▁who ▁might ▁have ▁made ▁trouble ▁for ▁Tony ▁Bla ir , ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁at ▁the ▁time ; ▁then - Lab our ▁Party ▁leader ▁Tony ▁Bla ir ▁stated ▁that ▁AWS ▁were ▁" not ▁ideal ▁at ▁all " ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁Peter ▁Je pson ▁and ▁Roger ▁Dy as - El li ott , ▁prevent ed ▁from ▁standing ▁on ▁Labour ▁short lists ▁because ▁of ▁their ▁gender , ▁challeng ed ▁the ▁policy ▁in ▁court . ▁Support ed ▁by ▁the ▁Equ al ▁O pport un ities ▁Commission , ▁they ▁claimed ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁been ▁il leg ally ▁bar red ▁from ▁applying ▁to ▁be ▁considered ▁to ▁represent ▁the ▁party ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁policy ▁contrad icted ▁Labour ' s ▁policy ▁of ▁aim ing ▁to ▁promote ▁equality ▁of ▁opportunity . ▁▁