Northampton Town loan sours MP and party relationship

Mary Markham said the local Tory party was "disappointed" with David Mackintosh's conduct

The relationship between a Tory MP and his constituency members has collapsed over a £10.25m loan to a football club, a senior party figure has said.

Northampton South MP David Mackintosh was criticised in a report over the loan to Northampton Town from the borough council when he was leader.

His successor as leader, Mary Markham, said his conduct had "undoubtedly damaged" the Conservatives' reputation.

Mr Mackintosh said he had "never asked or pressured officers to cut corners".

He said: "I apologise for the part I played in the granting of the loan to Northampton Town Football Club, and I am sorry that our efforts to support the club ended as they did.

"I do however refute the suggestion that undue pressure was put on officers to deliver the loan."

Mrs Markham, who is a member of the local Tory party's executive board and resigned as council leader in October, said: "I'm disappointed that David Mackintosh hasn't spoken out to his electorate, hasn't spoken out to the association.

"The Conservative Party in Northampton has undoubtedly been damaged because he has not communicated."

Mr Mackintosh said he was "happy to answer any questions" the local party might have about the loan

Northampton Town was given the loan to redevelop Sixfields stadium, with much of it being passed to a company called 1st Land Ltd.

The company is now in liquidation while the work on Sixfields was not completed.

A BBC investigation found that Mr Mackintosh benefited from "hidden" donations to his general election fighting fund from 1st Land, which are currently subject to a separate police investigation.

But Mr Mackintosh previously said he had "no reason to believe" the donations were from anyone other than the named donors.

Mrs Markham claimed the MP had been "very distant" from his constituency party.

She said he had not been able to attend executive board meetings since January and that he does not attend association meetings.

"It's fair to say there isn't really a relationship," she said.

But Mr Mackintosh said: "My door has always been open to constituents and members of the party who want to speak to me about the loan or any other issue."