Veteran MP Cormack dumped

Sir Patrick, who has represented the area at Westminster for 37 years, today vowed to fight the decision in a bid to save his political career.

At a meeting of the constituency association's executive last night, he narrowly lost a secret vote to re-select him as Conservative candidate for South Staffordshire at the next General Election.

Sir Patrick, 67, will be 69 or 70 by the time the election is called, but he remains one of the most active MPs at Westminister and made it clear today that he has no intention of taking the decision to de-select him lying down.He will demand another vote - and last night's decision also opens up the prospect of him standing as an independent candidate.

The MP issued a statement, saying: "At a meeting of the executive of the South Staffordshire executive attended by some 30 people, a resolution that I should be re-adopted as candidate for the next election was narrowly defeated.

"I know it must have been an extremely narrow defeat because 14 of those who attended have since pledged their unswerving loyalty and support to me."

Sir Patrick said one of those who had assured him of his support was the association chairman, Councillor David Billson.

"As far as I am concerned, this is a minor setback, and I have every intention of giving the electors of South Staffordshire the opportunity to pass their verdict on my services at the next election. Not a single word of criticism of the way I have conducted myself in Parliament or in the constituency was voiced at last night's meeting.

"The only critical comment was on my failure to put Conservative in big enough letters on my election address.

"As I have consistently had results better than the national average, and as at the last General Election I had the largest swing to the Conservatives of any candidate," he said.

Sir Patrick won a majority of 8,847 over Labour in 2005 in a ballot delayed by the death of the Liberal Democrat candidate during the campaign.

He is now expected to appeal against last night's decision by requesting a postal ballot of all members of the South Staffordshire constituency association.

Councillor Billson, who chaired last night's meeting, said: "It was a decision made by the executive. It is not my decision, I simply chaired the meeting. Sir Patrick made a presentation which the rules entitle him to do and the members then asked questions. Then there was a secret ballot and that is the way it came out. I think it came as a shock to one or two people there."