Sir, I picked up a copy of the Herald two weeks ago as I thought the interview with Nicola Blackwood MP and her views on women in Parliament would be an interesting read.

However, I was disappointed with a classic example of patronising and trivialising coverage of women in positions of power.

Is it in the public interest to know that ‘Nicola shops at Zara, Hobbs, Phase Eight, Marks & Spencer, Top Shop and “anywhere that has something I might like?”’. It’s hard to imagine an interview with Ed Vaizey where his views on where to buy socks and ties are given greater prominence than his work as a politician.

Yet, despite the article mentioning the fact that female MPs get more attention than men about their appearance as “negative”, it goes on to do exactly that. What a shame that your article failed to focus sufficiently on the good that women in power are doing, such as Nicola Blackwood’s work in the House of Commons on helping to prevent child sex exploitation in the wake of Operation Bullfinch. This was given a fleeting mention at the end.

I do hope the Herald will be providing its reader with regular updates on this important local issue and how local people can get involved to help, as this is truly in the public interest. You can spare us the details of what Nicola bought in the January sales.

Heather Coombs-Terekhov, Norreys Close, Didcot