Lord Kalms to be expelled

I report this news with a heavy heart but I can't quarrel with the party's decision. You can't advocate supporting another party and remain a Conservative member.

Former Tory Treasurer Lord Kalms advocated a vote for UKIP on Sky News earlier in the week and said that he was "lending" his vote to Nigel Farage's anti-EU party.

I was a huge beneficiary of Lord Kalms' generosity.  In 2000 he gave me the first of three £100,000 cheques to run the Renewing One Nation unit at Conservative Central Office.  With Robert Halfon, Peter Franklin, Cameron Watt and Guy Hordern we worked hard to start the work that Philippa Stroud, IDS and the whole Centre for Social Justice team have taken to a much higher level.  I will always be grateful for the trust he placed in me.

He was also the chief funder of Business for Sterling.  B4£ turned the tide on the Euro - showing that business didn't want it.

A great businessman.  A serious philanthropist (Eric Pickles knows that from his role in setting up the City Technology College in Bradford while he led the council).

He is a big loss to our party.  I hope he doesn't join UKIP.  I hope he'll return with Stuart Wheeler some day in the future.

Tim Montgomerie