Michael Howard

The standoff between Howard Flight and Michael Howard has continued after the former Tory MP said only the local party can mount a deselection bid.

Michael Howard had earlier rejected suggestions there was a stalemate over his decision to oust Flight as a Conservative MP.

Flight has been demanding a meeting of local constituency party members to make a decision on whether he should be able to stand at the next election.

In a statement late on Tuesday, the embattled MP said the media had blown up an "embarrassing row" - but insisted he could still stand as a candidate for the party.

He said his lawyers had concluded that his future could only be determined by local members.

Activists "must be given their legal right" to decide his future, Flight said after seeking a legal opinion.

Flight said he "felt sympathy" for the Conservative leader, but suggested a Labour smear effort was to blame for the problems.

Mixed view

The president of the Arundel and South Downs Conservative association has also backed Flight's requests.

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

Flight's local supporters say they now have enough signatures on a petition to force a meeting to discuss his candidacy.

But Russell Tanguay, local party agent, said Flight was now ineligible to be a candidate and therefore the association would be meeting to adopt an alternative.

'No stalemate'

The Conservative leader also rejected suggestions that the situation in the constituency was deadlocked.

"The way we do things in the Conservative Party is set out in our constitution and the rules, and everything I have done is in accordance with the constitution and the rules," Howard told a press conference on Tuesday.

"The rules and the constitution are very clear, and we act in accordance with the rules and the constitution so there is no question of a stalemate."

Accountability

Howard again defended his decision to withdraw the whip from Flight and remove him from the approved list of Tory candidates.

"The fundamental point here is that this is about accountability and responsibility," said the Conservative chief.

"We won't promise one thing before an election and do something else after an election.

"We won't say one thing in private and another in public, and if you really believe in honesty you have to act on it."

Party rules

Earlier, Michael Ancram also insisted that Flight will not be allowed to stand as a Conservative election candidate.

The Tory deputy leader insisted that Conservative Central Office would not be backing down.

"No one can stand as a candidate for the Conservative Party without the authorisation of the Conservative Party," he told the BBC.

"If you are an MP and the whip is withdrawn, you cannot stand. That is the rules of the party and that's where it stands."