Howard Flight has been deselected as an election candidate after triggering a row over Conservative spending plans.

The local Conservative association in the Arundel and South Downs constituency confirmed on Friday evening that they would be looking for a new candidate to fight the next election.

Their confirmation of a decision taken by Michael Howard will come as a blow to Flight, who first won the seat in 1997 and had indicated that he wanted to stay on to fight the seat.

The row was triggered by comments made by Flight at a private party meeting which were subsequently leaked to the Times.

The MP, who had played a key role in developing his party's spending plans, indicated that if elected a Conservative administration would make cuts beyond what it had publicly announced.

He said the party's plans had been "'sieved' for what is politically acceptable and what is not going to lose the main argument".

And he added that after winning an election "you can actually get on with what needs to be done".

Tough action

The comments prompted tough action from the Conservative leader, who decided that Flight's resignation as a party deputy chairman was not enough.

His decision to remove the whip from Flight meant he could not fight the election for the party.

"We will be totally straight with the British people," said Howard.

"We will do what we promise. We will make no promises we cannot deliver.

"We will not promise one thing before an election and do something else after an election.

"We will not say one thing in private and another thing in public.

"Everyone in my party has to sign up to that. If not, they’re out.

"Howard Flight will not be a Conservative candidate at the next election.

"There is only one spending plan, and that is the one we have published.

"And our plan is very clear and fully costed."

Constituency move

Howard's decision was subsequently backed at a meeting of local Tories.

"Howard Flight has been a first class constituency MP and has made a huge contribution to the Conservative Party over many years," said association chairman Angela Litchfield.

"We are all extremely sad at what has happened.

"However, we support Michael Howard and in the interests of the Conservative Party we will be selecting a new candidate shortly."

Secret agenda

The row offered Labour and the Liberal Democrats an opportunity to attack Conservative policies.

Health secretary John Reid said Flight had "let the cat out of the bag".

"He is not just any old Tory MP - he is the architect of the Tory tax and spending plans over the last two years," Reid told the BBC.

"He has worked alongside Oliver Letwin in devising the medium-term strategy and what it confirms is £35bn cuts is the minimum they are aiming for."

Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vincent Cable said that it was "now clear that the Tory party has a hidden agenda of real cuts in public services".