David Cameron has made an appeal for the Conservative Party to elect more women candidates locally and nationally.

But in Oxfordshire, the Tories have been left red-faced, fielding just 12 women in the forthcoming district elections the joint lowest number of the main political parties.

Oxfordshire goes to the polls on Thursday, May 4, with seats on Cherwell and West Oxfordshire district councils and Oxford City Council up for grabs.

Despite Witney MP Mr Cameron's insistence that the party must modernise, figures show that across Oxfordshire the Tories are off the pace. In total, 58 district council seats are being contested.

The Green Party is fielding 33 candidates, 18 of whom are women, Labour has declared 46 candidates, 14 women, the Liberal Democrats have 53 candidates, including 12 women, and the Conservatives have put up 52 candidates, of whom 12 are female.

In his first major speech since becoming leader, made at the Tories' Spring Conference in Manchester at the weekend, Mr Cameron said: "In recent years, Britain has changed faster than ever. Much of that change, the direct result of our own actions in Government.

"So, true to our traditions, we are changing once again changing our priorities, changing our attitudes. Changing the face of our party with action to select more women and candidates from ethnic minorities.

"So don't think it's enough for the leader to change this change I'm leading has got to be faster, wider, deeper."

In Parliament, the Conservatives have 17 women MPs fewer than one in 10 of their parliamentary party. At county level, the Tories have gone from strength to strength and now have a commanding majority of 43 councillors 19 more than before last year's elections but in Oxford it is four years since they had a city councillor.

Former Labour county councillor Brian Hodgson, a political statistician, said: "All parties need to improve their representation of women, but the Conservatives have much more ground to make up than others and David Cameron will find it very hard to achieve his aim, no matter how admirable."

Gabby Bertin, Mr Cameron's spokesman, added: "The situation in Oxfordshire isn't reflected across the country.

"I know we've done particularly well in getting women selected."