VALE of York MP Anne McIntosh is at the centre of a row in the local Conservative Association which could see her deselected as the prospective candidate for the new Thirsk and Malton division.

She is understood to be facing a vote from the constituency party at Malton’s Milton Rooms on Wednesday, September 2.

Miss McIntosh, shadow minister for the environment, food and rural affairs, said in a brief statement last night that she would be attending the meeting of members of the Thirsk and Malton Conservative Association “to discuss the way forward in preparation for the general election”.

Simon Wood, chairman of the association, confirming that the meeting was being held and that the intention was to discuss “the way forward”.

Miss McIntosh was first elected MP for the Vale of York in 1997 and was re-elected in 2001 and 2005 with an increased majority.

Three years ago she beat the sitting MP for Ryedale, John Greenway, for the nomination for the new Thirsk and Malton division which is being established following changes in Parliamentary boundaries which will see the disappearance of the Thirsk-based Vale of York division.

Sources quoted on a party website claim that relationships between senior party members and Miss McIntosh have broken down but no reasons have been given.

She was one of many MPs to face scrutiny during the recent expenses scandal at Westminster earlier this summer when she was forced to defend claims of £5,000 for gardening, including hedge-trimming and lawn-mowing at her constituency home.

Miss McIntosh said at the time that she was one of the lowest claimants.