Local Tories tried to oust MP because of 'unnecessary' announcement that he was gay "I do not know what motivated my Executive colleagues but I suspect that Crispin has been the author of his own misfortune," Mr Newstead wrote to Dr Ben Mearns, a supporter of Mr Blunt's. There is no doubt in my mind that his very public and totally unnecessary announcement that he was 'gay' was the final straw for some members, particularly those in the north of the borough, with whom there had been a number of previous disagreements on policy matters. The letter added that "a number of lady members were very offended by the manner in which [Mr Blunt's] marriage broke down. Supporters of Mr Blunt had dubbed their campaign to save his career as "Operation Meteor," in reference to the meteorite that killed the dinosaurs. Opponents of Mr Blunt have insisted that they only wanted to unseat him because he had been neglecting his duties as a constituency MP. Mr Newstead has defended his letter to Dr Mearns, but reiterated his claim that it was "unnecessary" for Mr Blunt to disclose his homosexuality. He said: "It was a private letter to a member who had expressed some strong views to the branch committee meeting which included the observation that the executive were homophobic. Being a member of the executive I resented that and I put forward a selection of other reasons as to why some people felt the way they did. I still say it was unnecessary [for Crispin Blunt to come out]. To me it was an error of judgment. I wouldn't have done anything like that. I would have just said if anyone had asked me: politicians have a unique lifestyle, it doesn't suit everybody and there is a long history of parliamentary marriages breaking down. You don't have to go out and tell people you have got homosexual tendencies - that sort of thing you know. It is a private matter and it shouldn't have been put in the public domain. He put it in the public domain. In a letter to association members last month Mr Blunt said he was fully supported by his family. "I accept that speculation, cheerful or otherwise, about the private life is something public figures must expect," Mr Blunt said. But I am lucky enough to continue to enjoy the love and support of Victoria and my children, Claudia and Freddy, and to finally be at ease with myself. Your backing will make an emphatic statement about the values of our local community and our party, specifically that we are tolerant and reasonable people, who judge others fairly on their ability to do the task in hand. I am absolutely delighted to receive such a strong endorsement from members of the Reigate and Banstead Conservative Association. I now look forward to the chance to defend my record as Member of Parliament for Reigate in 2015 and make the case for a majority Conservative government. I would like to thank everyone who has helped me to secure the ballot: friends, colleagues, but especially those constituents, including those who support other political parties, who have been kind enough to make such touching messages of support. Mr Blunt said: "With this overwhelming endorsement I wish to reinvigorate and unite the local party, having reflected on the circumstances which led to this result. I very much regret that this ballot had to take place at all. Like many of my supporters I was astonished by the irrational and unexpected action of the Executive Council in September. It came without warning that there was any aspect of my performance as MP that was terminally inadequate, and, in the absence of any serious issue around my performance as MP, brought the local party into disrepute. Happily the wider membership has rescued the reputation of Reigate and the Conservatives by a thumping margin.