THE election process which led to a North Yorkshire MP being controversially deselected following a long-running row with her local party is likely to be investigated, The Press understands.

Anne McIntosh lost a vote among activists in her Thirsk and Malton constituency last week which means she cannot stand as a Conservative candidate there at next year’s General Election, although she has vowed to fight on.

Miss McIntosh, who became an MP in 1997 and won a majority of almost 11,000 at the 2010 election after surviving a similar attempt to deselect her, said the result of the candidacy vote had been “very narrow”.

She is expected to meet Prime Minister David Cameron shortly to discuss the situation, and to attend an executive meeting of the constituency's Conservative association next week.

It is also understood that the election which led to her being deselected and the campaign against Miss McIntosh will be investigated. Supporters of Miss McIntosh, who chairs the influential environment and rural affairs select committee, have said they will continue to have the issue aired in public.

One party source said: “There does need to be a post-mortem into the whole procedure, and for an open primary selection process to be started which would enable a wide range of members of the public to attend and speak.”

Miss McIntosh said: “I am still on the list of Conservative candidates for parliamentary seats, including Thirsk and Malton.

“I have been bolstered by the many messages from well-wishers following the vote result last Friday, including offers of help and financial support to retain my position as the MP for the division in May next year.”

An internal party report, leaked last week, showed the Conservative hierarchy feared the selection issue had “spiralled out of control”.

Peter Steveney, the chairman of the local Conservative association, referred media inquiries to the party's national HQ yesterday.