One of Castle Point's most senior and respected Tories has been dumped by his local party - just four months after he called for General Election candidate Bob Spink to resign.

Richard Reeves, president of the borough Conservative association for five years and party member for more than three decades, was booted out of his post at the party's annual meeting.

Mr Reeves said he believed the move -- unprecedented in the history of the constituency association - would "reopen old wounds" and cause more damage for the party in the run-up to a possible spring election.

In November after a massive row with Dr Spink, association chairman Wenda Roberts resigned saying she could no longer support him as the party's parliamentary candidate.

Doug Roberts, then the Conservative group leader on Castle Point Council, came out in support of her and two months later he was replaced as leader by angry Tory councillors who had pledged their support to Dr Spink.

At the same time Mr Reeves also went public to say both Mrs Roberts and Dr Spink should have resigned. Last Friday another long-standing member of the local party, George Roper, stood against Mr Reeves as president and in a secret ballot of at least 200 members, he won the presidency by just two votes.

Mr Reeves said: "Naturally I am disappointed. I knew there was to be a challenge.

He added: "I cannot believe these events are unrelated. I have not changed my view from November."

Dr Spink has declined to comment.

New president Mr Roper, however, said: "I think there is a body of opinion that did not like Richard's statement regarding Dr Spink."

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