The disenchanted member of Tatton Conservative Association said Mr Hamilton had done enough damage to the constituency and the party.

And she called for an extraordinary general meeting so that members could vote on whether Mr Hamilton should continue to represent them.

"I'm a True Blue Conservative but I don't feel happy about fighting the next general election with a tainted candidate," she said.

"Mr Hamilton has been an excellent constituency MP. But whether the cash-for-questions allegations are true or not, he has admitted other things and will always be handicapped by them."

The woman also questioned whether the inquiry by Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Sir Gordon Downey would help to wipe the slate clean.

"The committee has a Tory majority and won't want to damage the party," she said. "It's quite clear the issues will not be dealt with to the satisfaction of everybody.

"In fact, I believe one of the best ways of suppressing the issues is to hold an inquiry."

But Mr Hamilton - whose libel case against a national newspaper collapsed last week - said he was "acutely conscious" of the damage done to him by the allegations.

"I understand some people will be perplexed and unhappy at what they have been reading about me - because my side of the story has not been brought out," he said.

"I am not surprised there are lots of people doubting me. I am desperate to get my side of the story over."

Mr Hamilton said he was writing to all association members to put his side of the story.

"Anyone concerned about this knows where I am and can talk to me. There would be no recriminations at all - I am anxious to talk to people who are worried and want things explained. They have known me for 14 years which should be long enough to put into perspective the kind of claims that have been made."

Association chairman Alan Barnes added: "As far as I am concerned the matter is on the backburner until Sir Gordon Downey has evaluated all the data that has been passed to him, published the facts and made his recommendations.

"To go on condemning Neil on the basis of allegations, without any evidence or proof, is improper. Fair-minded people would not do it."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.