HUDDERSFIELD Tories are in disarray.
Outsiders have been brought in to run Huddersfield Conservative Association.
And the move has triggered a flood of resignations among officials and rank-and-file members, it is claimed.
The association, based in Greenhead Road, has been put under "support status" by party officials in London.
A team of officials from the Yorkshire area party has taken over the running of the association.
A special meeting is due to be called to clear the way for a new managing committee and trustees to be appointed.
A spokeswoman for Conservative Central Office in London said: "The Huddersfield association has been given support status.
"It means control of the association is moved to the central party for the moment, with the area party acting on its behalf.
"There will be a special meeting soon to look at the problem."
The spokeswoman said she could not comment on the reasons for the move, but confirmed: "It is not a common situation. Support status means there is something that requires attention."
Reggie Sharp, who took over as association chairman in January last year, said he had resigned from the post and the party over the move.
He said three of the four trustees, the management committee and 23 party members had also resigned.
He said he was mystified by the decision to bring in support status, saying the association had shown "complete financial probity".
Mr Sharp added: "I am not happy with the way that the people from the area party have behaved and have dealt with the management committee."
The latest ructions follow a race row which rocked the association last year.
In a hard-hitting speech, retiring chairman Ken Giles accused some people of "living in the past" by failing to embrace the party's call for unity and opposing the membership of people from ethnic minorities.
At the time, incoming chairman Mr Sharp said he welcomed the diversity of party membership.
He said people who were "pre-judiced, racist or homophobic" should "seek a home other than the new Conservative Party".
