Mystery as party backs Hastilow

A Black Country Conservative who quit over his views on Enoch Powell's "Rivers of Blood" speech could see his resignation blocked by local party activists.

While Nigel Hastilow formally stepped down as prospective parliamentary candidate for the Halesowen and Rowley Regis constituency in a row over comments he made in the Express & Star, his resignation has yet to be accepted by local Tory bosses.

After a meeting with national party chairman Caroline Spelman on Sunday, Mr Hastilow chose to resign as a candidate rather than apologise and be bound by a ruling that future articles be vetted by Tory Central Office.

Since the weekend, Mr Hastilow, 51, has been inundated with hundreds of messages of support and it is understood calls have been made for local Tories in Halesowen and Rowley Regis to refuse to accept his resignation. Today, chair of Halesowen and Rowley Regis Conservative Association Mary Docker said a meeting of the executive committee would discuss it on Monday.

But a Conservative Central Office spokeswoman Jo Hinder said the final decision on who stood for parliament under the party banner was taken in London.