HOW can William Hague be Prime Minister when he can't even get a Conservative-supporting club to change its sexist rules?

Reports that members of the Carlton Club refuse to allow women to become full members, despite William Hague's protests, reveal how unfit the man is to be a future Prime Minister. How could William Hague cope with a national crisis if he can't implement a promise made in 1999 to reform the club -- a promise described at the time as one of his key 10,000 volt initiatives?

William Hague's unsuitability to govern is further revealed when he continues to sit idly by and allow one of his MPs, John Townend, to make inflammatory remarks about race. Hot on the heals of his previous comments, Mr Townend now says that multicultural towns like Bolton are a "mistake". I note that not a single Tory candidate in Bolton chose to criticise these remarks, despite earlier taking the time to tell us why they would not sign a petition to keep racism out of politics.

Rumours that today's Conservative Party is dominated by bigoted attitudes towards race and sexual equality show they are not yet ready to govern this country. And William Hague's inability to tackle these issues in his own party shows he is far from ready to be Prime Minister.

Mrs T Reynolds

Fourth Avenue

Bolton