by Alan McGuinness

Chatham and Aylesford MP Tracey Crouch has defied a Football Association ban against her playing in a match at the Conservative party conference today - because she is a woman.

The FA withdrew its referee and officials from the game between MPs and journalists because her participation broke their rule against mixed sex matches.

Miss Crouch branded the move "ridiculous".

She said: "They should just have more common sense. The rules are there to protect kids from getting hurt.

"They're not there to stop unfit MPs playing unfit hacks."

Chris Heaton-Harris, MP for Daventry and a qualified referee, ended up taking charge of the kickabout.

The lobby journalists, who cover events in parliament, won 5-1, with avid Spurs fan Miss Crouch playing 40 minutes as a striker.

The game is a tradition at both Labour and Conservative party conferences.

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