CONSERVATIVE councillor Paul Tuthill was deselected as a Conservative candidate for the forthcoming election.

His crime was ignoring the party whip and representing his constituents too well.

The Malvern Conservatives have now revealed what they require for candidates to be selected – they need to be married to a sitting councillor!

A shortage of candidates has led to Paul Cummings' wife being dragged in to represent the Baldwin ward, while Cllr Melanie Baker's husband seeks to stand for Dyson Perrins.

Cllr Mike Morgan's wife has been shipped in to Kempsey from her Upton home, while outdoing the lot are the O'Donnells, with sitting Cllr Mrs O'Donnell in the Wells ward, son James now to stand in the Chase ward and her husband Tony standing in Hallow from his home in Malvern Wells.

Stephen Chapman

Malvern