▁increase ▁female ▁representation , ▁including ▁encourag ing ▁women ▁to ▁stand ▁and ▁constitu ency ▁associations ▁to ▁select ▁them , ▁and ▁providing ▁special ▁training ▁for ▁potential ▁female ▁candidates . ▁Another ▁strategy , ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁all - w omen ▁short lists , ▁is ▁a ▁positive ▁disc rim ination ▁strategy ▁making ▁it ▁comp uls ory ▁for ▁selection ▁of ▁women ▁candidates ▁in ▁some ▁constitu encies . ▁ ▁The ▁strategy ▁has ▁been ▁critic ised ▁as ▁und em ocr atic , ▁as ▁" b yp ass ing ▁compet itive ▁principles ▁and ▁hence ▁as ▁ign oring ▁the ▁mer it ▁principle ," ▁ ▁and ▁as ▁" a ▁form ▁of ▁disc rim ination ▁against ▁men ." ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁general ▁election , ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party ▁had ▁a ▁policy ▁of ▁ens uring ▁there ▁was ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁stat ut ory ▁female ▁candidate ▁on ▁each ▁of ▁its ▁short lists , ▁however ▁few ▁of ▁these ▁women ▁were ▁successful ▁in ▁being ▁selected ▁in ▁w inn able ▁seats ▁( se ats ▁within ▁a ▁ 6 % ▁swing ). ▁Following ▁pol ling ▁that ▁suggested ▁women ▁were ▁less ▁likely ▁to ▁vote ▁Labour ▁than ▁men , ▁the ▁party ▁introduced ▁All - w omen ▁short lists ▁at ▁their ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁annual ▁conference . ▁▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁general ▁election ▁ ▁Labour ▁used ▁all - w omen ▁short lists ▁to ▁select ▁candidates ▁in ▁half ▁of ▁all ▁w inn able ▁seats ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁general ▁election , ▁with ▁the ▁aim ▁of ▁reaching ▁ 1 0 0 ▁female ▁MP s ▁post