Having an affair 'not a barrier to being MP': UK opposition leader

London, Nov.8 : Having an extramarital affair should not stand in the way of someone becoming a Member of Parliament, Baroness Morris of Bolton, the Tory's shadow women's minister, said during the row over the selection of Elizabeth Truss.

Baroness Morris called on Tory activists not to sack a candidate who had an affair, saying that 'in this day and age' it was not a reason to stop someone entering Westminster.

According to The Telegraph, Lady Morris urged party members in South West Norfolk to stand by Miss Truss, who faces a deselection meeting this month after being accused of covering up a relationship with a married Tory MP when she was also married.

She spoke out as other Tory women candidates revealed that they had battled 'sexism and prejudice' from grass roots activists.

Lady Morris told The Sunday Telegraph: 'We are a stronger party if we utilise the diversity of talent that we have in the party and Liz is a first class candidate and has a great deal to offer the party. I have a great respect for the voluntary side of the party but I'm praying that they do not deselect her, as they will be doing themselves out of a first class candidate. I think they will see that they have a gem in Elizabeth.'

Of the affair five years ago, she said: 'In this day and age that shouldn't matter.'

Miss Truss, 34, faces removal after failing to tell a selection panel about the affair with Mark Field, MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, even though it was widely written about at the time.

--ANI