Conservative party 'refuses to re-adopt Tim Yeo' as candidate

Yeo is said to be "considering his options" following the decision by the South Suffolk Conservative association (PA)

Tory MP Tim Yeo is battling to save his political career after his local party apparently refused to re-instate him as its candidate for the next general election.

Mr Yeo, who was recently reinstated as chairman of the influential Commons Energy Committee after being cleared of lobbying allegations, is understood to be "considering his options" following the decision by the South Suffolk Conservative association.

In June he was embroiled in a newspaper sting and faced claims that he offered to lobby ministers and 'coached' a business associate who was due to give evidence to his committee.

However, the cross-party standards committee found he had done nothing wrong.

According to the Ipswich Star, the local party issued a statement that said: "The executive council of the South Suffolk Conservative Association met on the evening of Friday, November 29 and voted not to re-adopt Tim Yeo for the 2015 general election.

"Mr Yeo is now considering his position and will advise the executive council of his intended course of action."

Mr Yeo, 68, who served as environment minister in John Major's government, has represented the constituency for three decades, and won an 8,600 majority in 2010.

Shadow Cabinet Office minister Jon Ashworth said: "Tim Yeo's deselection is another sign that under David Cameron the Conservative Party is reverting to type, with no place for those who thought he meant it when he said 'Vote blue, go green'.

"Just this week one Tory with modernising credentials has been deselected and another has quit, and David Cameron is trying to water down a green levy he introduced and even boasted about.

"It's more evidence of the death of Tory modernisation. David Cameron's party is becoming narrower and less open and moving further from the centre ground."

Additional reporting by Press Association