Flight: Stripped of candidacy

Amid continuing controversy, the Conservative leader has stood by his decision to sack Howard Flight.

Michael Howard said on Monday that he had "no regrets" about the decision to force the former Tory party deputy chairman out of his constituency.

The move followed Flight's comments, rejected by the party, that the Conservatives had plans to cut public spending beyond what had been publicly announced.

With Flight demanding a meeting of local constituency party members to make a decision on whether he should be able to stand at the next election, the situation is becoming increasingly damaging for the Conservatives.

Huge mistake

The row has continued with the party president of the Arundel and South Downs association saying she was on the verge of resignation over Howard's decision to block Flight from standing at the next election.

Baroness O'Cathain said Flight had made a "huge mistake" but added that there was "some question mark" over the party rules used to force his expulsion.

She also told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme that party chiefs had failed to inform her of their decision.

"If I am not considered to be able to add anything to the party I can't see much point in continuing as association president," Baroness O'Cathain added.

"It has come as a huge blow to the constituency. It is just disaster after disaster after disaster," she said.

And she confirmed that "a lot of members of the association" were backing Flight's call for a local party meeting to hear his case.

Local decision

Earlier, Flight had told BBC Radio 4 that he wanted an extraordinary general meeting of the association.

He pledged to abide by the decision of constituency members.

"I have a loyalty to them, they selected me and they, if you like, dispose of me or keep me," he said.

"I am advised that that is the correct constitutional position."

Legal position

However, Conservative Central office released a short statement explaining the rules used to block Flight from continuing to represent the party.

"The Conservative whip has been withdrawn from Howard Flight. He is therefore no longer on the UK parliamentary list. He therefore cannot be adopted as a Conservative candidate in Arundel and South Downs or any other constituency," the statement said.

"An individual can only stand as a Conservative candidate if he or she is authorised to do so by the party's nominated officer.

"This is not a party rule, it is law under the Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

"Having had the whip withdrawn, Howard Flight will not have his nomination authorised."

No regrets

And the party leader also continued to stand by his decision.

"I don't regret the decision that I took at all," Howard told a press conference on Monday.

"It is not about the ability of people to express a different view from me or the leadership of the Conservative Party.

"It is about the suggestion that the Conservative Party is saying one thing before an election and intends to do something else afterwards. That is not the case.

"We are not saying one thing in private and something else in public.

"If you believe in honesty you have to act on it and that is why I took the very difficult decision I took on Friday."