ST ALBANS MP Anne Main is facing a battle to stay in office, with the local party divided in its support for her.

St Albans Conservative Association has called a meeting with its members - from which the press and public are barred - to debate a motion proposing Mrs Main is de-selected as their parliamentary candidate in next year’s general election.

Mrs Main told the Herts Advertiser this week the meeting had been planned without her knowledge, and claimed she was 'shocked' to learn of local Tories’ intentions.

However, association chairman Mrs Seema Kennedy told the Review today: "Following the revelations about Mrs Main’s claim for a second home allowance, many members of my association have expressed concerns to me and my officers about whether Mrs Anne Main is the right person to fight the next general election for the Conservative Party.

"I took these actions after consultation with other members and after consultation and the agreement of officers - I'm not acting alone.

"I have consulted with the Conservative Party at every stage. The Herts Advertiser have portrayed me and Matt Peck (the association’s deputy chairman) as acting alone and that's not true.

"This has been something that has been bought to my attention by various people and I felt that I had to act on it.

"For the benefit of both the association and all the constituents of St Albans it is important that we draw a line under this debate.

"We need to concentrate all our efforts on fighting the next general election so we can return a Conservative MP who can help David Cameron get this country out of the mess created by Gordon Brown and his failing Government."

She added that Mrs Main was informed of the plan before letters were sent to invite party members to discuss her de-selection at the meeting.

Mr Peck added: "Mrs Main was recently re-selected by the executive council of the association to stand as the Conservative candidate at the next election, but this was before it became apparent that she was under inquiry by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.

"In accordance with the rules of the association, and advice received from the Conservative Party, the only way that the opinion of members could be tested was through a general meeting of all members and a motion to de-select her."

The St Albans MP was accused of misusing her Commons allowances by registering her city centre flat as her second home, even though she has a large house 25 miles away in Beaconsfield, Bucks, and no regular accommodation in the capital.

She also claimed a ten per cent council tax discount on her home while her daughter Claire Tonks was living there. The discount can only be claimed if no-one is living at the property full-time.

The MP claimed between £600 and £1,100 a month in mortgage interest payments for the flat, along with service charges, utility bills and furnishing costs.

Political rival Sandy Walkington, LibDem parliamentary hopeful, said: "A number of local people have told us they were telephoned in the last couple of weeks by Ipsos-Mori who were carrying out a specially commissioned local poll on behalf of St Albans Conservatives. We can only assume that the results were pretty devastating."

Mrs Main has not responded to the Review's request for comment.

The meeting will be held at the constituency branch in The Saints Pastoral Centre, Shenley Lane, London Colney, at 7.30pm on Thursday, August 13.