Tories accused over Flight
The Conservative leadership has been accused of putting “undue pressure” on party activists in the Arundel and South Downs constituency.
The accusations follow the banning of Tory MP Howard Flight from standing at the next election.
Senior figures of the Arundel and South Downs Conservative Association claim they are being denied natural justice on the sanction by Tory party leader Michael Howard.
They also admitted being “frustrated” in their attempts to convene a special general meeting in a bid to resolve the crisis.
“Members of the Association have spent much of the week trying to get a special general meeting called in order to hear directly from Mr Flight of the events which led to the withdrawal of the party whip, and to hear from our executive council of subsequent measures to select another as our candidate at the forthcoming election,” a statement read.
“We have been frustrated in this and had the distinct impression that officers of the Association are subject to undue pressure from Conservative Central Office where there appears to be little regard for opinion among Conservative workers in the constituency.”
Mr Flight was reprimanded by Mr Howard after giving an interview which suggested that the Tory party had a secret agenda to make more spending cuts than they have publicly stated.
Howard Hall, Vice President of the Association added: “These weekend rank-and-file activists will meet informally and for the first time to consider the situation and the opportunities that may be open to us to settle this business.”
