Tories bid to attract more black voters

The Conservative Party has insisted that its election candidates are selected on merit, after reports that David Cameron has ordered a drive to increase the numbers of black and Asian people standing to become Tory MPs.

It was reported that Mr Cameron is concerned about his party’s unpopularity among voters from ethnic minority backgrounds.

The number of black and Asian Conservative MPs jumped from two to 11 at the 2010 election, but the party secured only 16 per cent of the ethnic minority vote.