TO lose one candidate for revealing the "truth" about Conservative plans may be a misfortune. To lose two is very careless and must cause questions about exactly what is driving the Conservative Party.

Michael Howard acted ruthlessly in ejecting Howard Flight from his safe seat. Firm and decisive leadership - but what role do the Thatcherite right-wingers, who cheered Mr Flight's speech, play in setting the party's agenda?

The Conservatives' first misfortune was when their Sedgefield candidate Danny Kruger said the party would embark upon "a period of creative destruction" in the public services. Mr Howard quickly kicked him out of Sedgefield, although Mr Kruger is still an advisor to the leader.

Then came the thoughts of the deputy chairman, Mr Flight.

Mr Howard has accepted that the public fears a tax-cutting agenda will harm hospitals and schools. But we learn, over the quiet of an Easter weekend, from a man in a senior position that the cuts could be "a good bit greater" than what Mr Howard is saying. Mr Flight has shot his party in the foot.