READING East Conservatives last night backed down from their bid to oust a popular councillor following intervention from the party's head office.

The divided association was due to vote on terminating the membership of Reading borough councillor, Mark Ralph, but removed the item from the agenda.

The Chronicle understands the faction leading the charge to kick Cllr Ralph out of the association was deferred after Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) ordered an inquiry into the deselection of fellow Peppard ward councillor, Jamie Chowdhary, in July.

Cllr Ralph and Cllr Chowdhary are understood to have been targeted by members - including leading figures on the association's executive - because of their loyalty to Cllr Cumpsty, who resigned as council group leader last month.

For the full story see Thursday's Chronicle