Women's snooker 'is cue for a punch-up'

Vera Baird, Labour MP for Redcar, said she was furious to learn the Eston and California club allowed women in its snooker room, but would not let them pick up a cue.

Speaking during a Commons debate, Ms Baird told MPs that she believed the real reason for the ban was that the men feared a "pasting" by a woman player.

But she argued its attitude proved the urgent need for new anti-sex discrimination laws to "put an end to this stupidity".

Ms Baird said: "I asked why and expected to hear that women were such idiots that they would smash the baize with the cue, but no, no, it is much more complicated that that.

"If a woman leans across to do a long shot and her skirt comes up, somebody looks at her legs and her boyfriend hits him, there will be a fight and it will be the woman who has caused it by playing snooker.

"I do not know how long it took the club committee to dream up that excuse to avoid being pasted by good women snooker players, but truly I almost resolved to go to snooker classes. Then I calmed down."

Ms Baird admitted her naming and shaming of the club might cost her a few male votes and a drink on Saturday night at the club.

She added: "The Eston and Cali club is a pleasant place. It looks after its members, male and female, extraordinarily well.

"But it is at the price of women having to acknowledge their second-class status." Ms Baird threw her weight behind a backbench Bill which would outlaw such practices.

Last night, an unrepentant Alan Whitfield, the club steward, said: "It's a private members' club - men are the members and women are associate members.

"We say only members can play snooker as a way of getting round it because if women play, the men would be looking up their skirts.

"Some women might wear trousers but others won't and I know what the lads here are like. It is definitely not because we are scared of being beaten at a game."