Controversial Conservative MEP Bashir Khanbhai has been removed from the party's election list.

Khanbhai had been third in the party's list for the Eastern region in June's forthcoming elections.

However he has come under fire for claiming parliamentary travel expenses to an address that does not exist.

The MEP had been expected to return some of the cash he received to the European parliament authorities in a bid to end the sleaze allegations.

He had already had his case reviewed by a party committee, with the recommendation that he should be removed from the list of candidates.

However, Khanbhai appealed the decision but was again judged to have fallen below the standards of conduct expected of an MEP.

The latest move by Central Office brings his re-election hopes to an end.

A short statement issued by the party said: "The board of the Conservative Party has removed Bashir Khanbhai MEP from the party's list of candidates for the Eastern region in the European elections on 10th June.

"In the light of new information about his travel allowance claims sent to the Conservative Party by Mr Khanbhai on Monday 10th May, John Taylor CBE, chairman of the board's committee on candidates, will be referring a number of issues to the European parliament authorities for further investigation."

Speaking to Sky News shortly after the announcement, shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram said that the party's procedures for dealing with complaints against candidates "had been in operation and the decision was taken that Mr Khanbhai should no longer be on the list for European elections".