A SOUTH West European Member of Parliament announced that she had been expelled from the Conservative Party over her stance on Brexit talks, writes Kate Wilson.

Julie Girling, who represents the south west and Gibraltar in Brussels, said she received a letter from party chairman Brandon Lewis last Tuesday telling her she was out.

In a statement on her website Ms Girling called it ‘an extreme and disproportionate measure’ which she said ‘illustrates an increasing level of intolerance within the party, particularly on the issue of Brexit’.

Ms Girling went on to say that ‘it is no secret’ that she disagrees with Prime Minister Theresa May on her strategy for Brexit, adding that she was not the only one.

But said that she was ‘being treated very differently from others in the party, especially those with a much higher public profile’.

‘These are the tactics of a bully but I refuse to play the role of victim,’ added Ms Girling.

The south west MEP has been at odds with the Tory leadership for a year after supporting a European Parliament resolution last October that said ‘sufficient progress had not yet been made’ on agreeing the divorce deal between Britain and the EU.

As punishment at the time the Tory whip was withdrawn.

Ms Girling has said she intends to remain an MEP and plans to direct her ’political energies into the Peoples Vote campaign and ensure that the final say on any deal is put to test at the ballot box’.