Tory MP candidate said women should ‘keep their knickers on’ to avoid rape and people are outraged

A former BBC presenter who said women should “keep their knickers on” to avoid rape has been selected as a Conservative candidate.

Nick Conrad, a former BBC Radio Norfolk host, has been chosen to represent the Tories in the safe-seat of Broadland in Norfolk despite offensive past comments about sexual assault.

In a radio discussion about convicted rapist Ched Evans, Conrad said women needed to be “more aware of a man’s sexual desire” and suggested victims of sexual assault could be partially responsible for rape.

He said:

When you’re in that position that you are about to engage in sexual activity there’s a huge amount of energy in the male body.

There’s a huge amount of will and intent and it’s very difficult for many men to say no when they are whipped up into a bit of a storm.

It’s the old adage about if you yank a dog’s tail then don’t be surprised when it bites you.

He went on to add that if women did not wish to “give out the wrong signals, it’s best probably to keep your knickers on”.

Conrad later apologised for his comments and said they were “ill-judged”.

Nevertheless, his selection has understandably been met with outrage by many people.

Even Tory insiders were apparently angry at the decision to give him a safe seat, according to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.

Meanwhile, the Huffington Post has reported that Charlie Elphicke, a former Tory MP who was charged with sexual assault, is still being supported by the Conservative Party.

Although Elphicke denies the allegations against him, he was suspended from the Conservative Party in July pending a trial next year.

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