FORMER Montgomeryshire MP Lembit Opik has been expelled from the Liberal Democrats but has vowed  fight the decision.

Mr Opik's expulsion comes after he appeared as a special guest at an online Conservative Party event hosted in March entitled 'How to stop the Lib Dems - an insider's guide', and appearing alongside Conservative MP Chris Grayling.

Advertising material for the event, for which tickets were available at between £6-£12, described it as an "extraordinary opportunity" to discuss how to stop the Liberal Democrats with "an insider's guide" to how they plan their campaigns.

Mr Opik was MP for Montgomeryshire from 1997 before losing his seat 2010, seeing a 7,000 seat majority in the constituency ebb away to Conservative candidate Glyn Davies.

Mr Opik has said he will appeal the decision, and that the party's procedures entitle him to a right of appeal. 

"The party is disrespecting the very processes it has insisted on enforcing upon me on June 7," he said.

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"My understanding is that an individual is complaining about me in the party but as the party itself has confirmed, I have the right to appeal against these complaints through a formal process.

"The party itself has insisted that when dealing with a complaint there's an internal conflict resolution procedure between the complainant, respondent and panel and all communications must be direct between the parties and cannot be conducted with third parties.

Mr Opik added that he still felt optimistic that a resolution could be reached, and said he would respect the outcome of an internal complaints procedure.

"My aim has always been to make the country better and my belief for decades has been that the Liberal Democrats provide the best way to do this" 

"I still hope and believe that the Liberal Democrats are faithful to the fundamental principles of fair play and justice, and as such I will wait to see what remedy they offer."

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