A Tory council leader has delivered a scathing broadside against his party's deputy chairman Lee Anderson, branding him a "carpet-bagger".
Gio Spinella, who heads the Conservative group at Camden Council in North London, hit out at the loudmouth MP and admitted that all parties have "peculiar figures".
He made the remarks after Mr Anderson - who reportedly this week told a Tory councillor to "come outside and sort it out" during an "aggressive" row with another MP - was invited to meet party members in the borough.
Responding to criticism at a full council meeting, Mr Spinella said he wouldn't have invited the MP.
He said: "Since I've been called out in person I can say that I would not personally have invited Lee Anderson to speak at Camden Council, but that was a decision made by the Holborn and St Pancras Conservative Association.
"They do not consult they Camden Council group on who gets to come and not come.
"Lee Anderson does not in my mind reflect the kind of conservatism that me or my group usually stand by.
"Having said that I would remind people that Lee Anderson was a Labour Party activist and councillor for a very long time before he carpet-bagged over to the Conservatives and frankly I would not have selected him on that basis alone."
He said "every party unfortunately has its uncomfortable elements", and continued: "I have no problem distancing myself from Lee Anderson.
"I would sincerely hope that the councillors in this chamber would have similar bravery in distancing yourselves from the peculiar figures in your party."
Mr Anderson's visit was heavily criticised, but the Conservative association hit back.
In a letter to the Camden New Journal chairwoman Joanna Reeves wrote: "A wonderful and lively debate was had."
And she continued: "It is not up to our Labour councillors to instruct our Conservative party on who we may or may not agree to speak to us.
"If the Labour Party are concerned about our meetings we're obviously doing something right."
Mr Anderson wrote on Twitter after the event that it was a "great evening".
Earlier this week The Mirror reported that Mr Anderson became embroiled in an "aggressive" row with expelled Conservative Andrew Bridgen and the father of Game of Thrones star Rose Leslie in a Commons restaurant.
The controversial deputy chairman was said to have told 69-year-old ex-Tory councillor Sebastian Leslie to "come outside and we'll sort it out" in a row over Mr Bridgen being kicked out of the party.
Mr Bridgen and Mr Leslie were having lunch in Parliament's Portcullis House shortly after it emerged Mr Bridgen had been kicked out by the Tories for comparing Covid vaccines to the Holocaust.
The pair told PA they became embroiled in the argument with Mr Anderson after seeing him having lunch with friends in the Adjournment restaurant.
"He was aggressive and out of control," Mr Leslie, a grandfather-of-six, added. "It was very threatening and aggressive."
But Mr Anderson said Mr Bridgen had been "rude and aggressive" as he lunched with two friends.
"I was having lunch with two friends when a very angry looking Andrew Bridgen walked over with his friend," the MP for Ashfield said.
"Andrew spoke briefly to one of my guests who he knew but then turned his attentions to me in a rude and aggressive manner.
"I literally had no idea what he was talking about and then both men left. After apologising to my guests for the outburst I then walked over to Mr Bridgen's table to express my disapproval."
