MY disappointment at Anne McIntosh MP being subjected to deselection turned to despair on hearing the result (The Press, February 1).

Anne is an outstanding MP and community leader. She only has two qualities that I suspect acted against her: she is a woman and she is a strong individual, qualities that clearly offend the narrow-minded cabal that dominates her local Conservative Association.

Sadly, membership of the Conservative Party is in decline in both North Yorkshire and York. The remaining Thirsk and Malton Conservatives need to ask themselves, has this action reversed their decline in membership, do they really expect to get a better MP and do they want the Conservatives to win the next General Election?

If I lived in the Thirsk, Malton & Filey constituency, I would call on the Conservative Association Management Team to resign and I would vote for Anne McIntosh at the next general election.

Joe Watt, Conservative Party member, The Village, Skelton, York.

 

• THE Conservative members who have deselected Anne McIntosh may well have won the battle, but come the May 2015 war they could be licking their wounds.

If Ms McIntosh stands as an independent it will be wide open, and a mix of blue and red could well see someone wearing purple prevail.

What’s the betting that Nigel Farage will now pick Malton and Thirsk as his own constituency nomination? Now that really would put the area on the map, and be fascinating to watch.

Geoff Robb, Hunters Close, Dunnington, York.