ANNE Main s future as St Albans MP is set to be decided by members of the local Conservative Association at a decisive meeting tonight. But a top Tory councillor has vowed to stand down if Mrs Main is deselected. Councillor Salih Gaygusuz is so disgusted

ANNE Main's future as St Albans MP is set to be decided by members of the local Conservative Association at a decisive meeting tonight.

But a top Tory councillor has vowed to stand down if Mrs Main is deselected.

Councillor Salih Gaygusuz is so disgusted at the way Tory chairman Seema Kennedy and her deputy Matt Peck have handled the affair that he does not wish to be associated with them.

He said: "If they get their way and Anne is pushed out I will be joining her in protest. I will stand as an Independent councillor. I am sure this won't happen because Anne is held in high regard but much mischief has been made by people out to do her down and it's hard to calculate the damage they have done.

"These two have brought the party into such disrepute through their actions. I know how hard Anne works for the district and I am impressed by her commitment."

The latest move to influence party members to vote against Mrs Main sees a letter from Matt Peck go out to all 300 of them claiming Mrs Main is a "lame duck".

He claims that the expenses row is far from done and dusted suggesting that Mrs Main is unlikely to be exonerated by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner's investigation.

Party treasurer Adrian Birchill said:- "Anyone putting out such a letter cannot have the best interests of St Albans Conservatives at heart."

Cllr Gaygusuz, who has had to fly to Turkey this week for his brother's funeral, won't be able to attend the meeting to support Mrs Main.

But he was at pains at point out that he has never heard anyone complaining about the MP when he was canvassing door to door during the county council elections.

However, a counter attack on the two party officials was launched by senior members of the executive council who are also holding a meeting tonight (13/8) to try and expel them from the party.

The row centres around Mrs Main's alleged abuse of Commons allowances. She was accused of allowing her daughter to live rent-free in her St Albans flat despite claiming a ten percent discount on her council tax for the property. The discount is only available for homes in which nobody lives full-time.

Mrs Main was keeping her own counsel this week as she carried on with constituency duties.

She said: "I want to draw a line under this and I am happy to await the outcome of the meeting."

The meeting will be held at the constituency branch at the All Saints Pastoral Centre, Shenley Lane, London Colney, at 7.30pm on Thursday, August 13.

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