Theresa May has admitted she faces a battle with constituencies to "change the mindset" over selecting MPs.

In an exclusive interview with ePolitix.com, the Conservative Party chairman said she is expecting resistance to her plans.

She said the party was still too focussed on coffee mornings - rather than selecting candidates who will perform as first class constituency MPs.

May accepted that women still face a tough fight in getting selected, warning constituency panels they should not chose their candidate because they fit in at local party functions.

"It's not only the case that with the woman before them obviously the husband or partner won't be attending coffee mornings, but increasingly if they've got a male MP his wife or partner probably works and won't be there to do the traditional things that an MP's wife has done in the past. We're really trying to change the mindset," said May.

"It means making sure that everyone in the party who is doing the selecting realises that is the case and isn't looking at their potential MP in terms of how they will interact just with the members of the association; how they come across at a Sunday drinks party."

Central Office recently brought in an occupational psychologist to review the way prospective MPs are chosen, but the party chairman was careful to avoid the threat of imposing candidates.

"The constituency associations jealously guard their right to select their MP. And we're not suggesting imposing anybody on any association," she said.

"What we are doing is looking at what's happened in the first 60 seats and see how the process has worked. We're also saying 'let's have a look at all of the various ideas that are around' to address the ideas of getting better gender balance and then we'll look to see if any changes need to be made."

May said the party had to look beyond its traditional recruitment base of barristers, bankers and journalists as well as the issue of women candidates.

She called for a change in attitudes among the party's traditional grassroots activists.

"One of the key things is to work with our association members to show them that first the job of an MP has changed," she said.

"If you've got a safe Conservative seat for example - I tend not to use that word safe as no politician should be complacent ever - but where there's a long-standing MP that hasn't selected for say 20 years, then you have to point out that during that period the job has changed significantly."

"The old idea that the whole focus was on Westminster and there were things that you did in the constituency is wrong. Those days are gone."

She defended the party's stance on asylum seekers arguing the Conservatives should not be scared to talk tough.

"I think language is important but often in politics its important that there will be times when a very deeply-held view is there and it will be important to express that," she said.

"We mustn't feel constrained because people will use the phrase back on us the party chairman used. There's nothing wrong with being robust in politics."

The party's poor reception in the media was described as "frustrating", particularly over the speculation about Iain Duncan Smith's future when policy announcements are being made by members of the shadow cabinet.

"There is an issue about the person reading the newspaper who assumes that, although they have got some scepticism about the newspapers, if the reporter writes that somebody's interview is part of a leadership bid, that there's probably an element truth in it," May said.

"In fact it might be a particular newspaper having a particular agenda to promote somebody or to try and create a bit of havoc."

May dismissed the constant media focus on her shoes, particularly at the time of her now-famous conference speech.

Dismissing the "the lighter side of politics" she rejected comparisons with Margaret Thatcher's trademark handbag.

"I certainly didn't do it to create a trademark. Although I do still get people, like in the supermarket queue the other day, who say 'I'm glad to see you're wearing the shoes'. I feel very bad when I wear a boring pair of shoes," she added.