THE chairman of the Thirsk and Malton constituency Conservative Party has called on its MP to decide upon how its candidate should be chosen for the next General Election.

More than 150 party activists attended the association’s annual general meeting in Hovingham, near Malton, for a secret ballot last Friday to decide who should lead the group.

The vote followed the association’s executive deciding not to automatically readopt Anne McIntosh MP as its candidate for the next general election.

Senior members of the group claimed the election featured candidates with opposing views on whether Miss McIntosh should face a selection process.

Peter Steveney, of South Otterington, near Northallerton, who has served as the group’s chairman for the past three years, overcame a challenge from Ryedale District councillor David Cussons, who voiced support for Miss McIntosh at the meeting.

Mr Steveney was reselected as its leader for a further year under a rule that allows the executive’s officers to have an extra 12-month term to ensure continuity.

After the meeting, Mr Steveney called on Miss McIntosh to decide upon whether the process should feature an open panel meeting with a choice of three candidates, including herself, or an open postal ballot for constituency members.

He said: “We hope to have an answer to that fairly soon so that we can move forward.”

Mr Steveney said he aimed to raise funds for the party and oversee preparations for the forthcoming county council elections and for when a General Election is called.

Before the meeting Miss McIntosh said there was no set timescale for her to decide upon the selection process and that she would work with, and expect support from, whoever was elected to the group’s executive.