NOW that David Cameron has expelled former European Conservative leader Edward McMillan-Scott MEP from the Conservative Party, not one political party holds more than one Yorkshire seat.

The former MEP for York took a stand against the Tory decision to leave the main centre-right EPP group and ally themselves with parties such as the Latvian For Fatherland and Freedom party (that celebrates collaboration with the Nazi Waffen-SS against the Russians) and the Polish Law and Justice party (who have said homosexuals should not be teachers).

Former Tory MEP Caroline Jackson said the decision to leave the EPP was “stupid” and the party was swapping an alliance with Europe’s biggest parties for “odds and sods”. Recently other Conservative MEPs have also not toed the party line. Dan Hannan described the NHS as a “60-year mistake” and said he “wouldn’t wish it on anyone”. His colleague, Roger Helmer, said about this outburst: “I think Dan has done us a service.”

Another colleague, Dr Tannock, has suggested some people should be charged £10 to see their GP. He said “I know they are controversial, but I don’t think people who are in a job would be against say spending £10 to see their GP.” Cameron has said these people do not speak for the Conservative party.

So if he kicked out Edward McMillan-Scott for not toeing the party line why are Hannan, Helmer and Tannock okay? Shouldn’t Cameron also expel these people too? And if not, why not?

So much for progressive, compassionate, conservatism and so much for Cameron’s European policy. Yorkshire Conservatives have just lost one MEP without even a vote.

Coun James Alexander, Prospective Labour MP for York Outer Holgate Road, Holgate, York.