CONSERVATIVES on Exmoor this week told former MP David Nicholson he was too old to fight the next General Election for them.

It was an ironic snub for Mr Nicholson, who made national news three years ago with suggestions of a bar on too many elderly people retiring to West Somerset.

Mr Nicholson, aged 55, held a constituency stretching from Dulverton to beyond Taunton for ten years until Liberal Democrat Jackie Ballard seized it in 1997.

He and his wife, Frances, still live near Dulverton and they have three school-age children.

But he failed to be selected at the weekend as a candidate for the constituency despite making a formal application.

The Taunton constituency association's selection committee did not include him in a list of 25 candidates from which three will be shortlisted for final interviews.

Mr Nicholson expressed surprise at the decision of the 18-strong committee, especially as his 1997 General Election result saw one of the lowest anti-Tory swings in the country at 4.6 per cent.

It was a result which compared favourably to the 17.4 per cent swing against former Tory Cabinet Minister Michael Portillo, who also lost his seat at the time.

Mr Nicholson later worked as a researcher for Bridgwater MP Tom King before becoming a public affairs consultant in London.

He told the Free Press the Taunton constituency was the only one in which he was interested, as his family did not intend to leave the area.

Mr Nicholson said: "Very much to my surprise, I have not even been afforded the courtesy of a first interview.

"This means the thousand or so members of the association will not have the opportunity to decide whether they want me as candidate or not.

"I have not had any significant policy or personal disputes with the local party.

"For example, I do not take one view on Europe while the party takes another.

"Furthermore, most of the selection committee are long-standing colleagues with whom I have worked well.

"Perhaps no discourtesy was intended, but good intentions are often not enough."

Mr Nicholson said his age was given as the panel's reason for wanting a change of candidate.

"Others must judge whether at 55 that means over the hill," he said.

"Other constituencies have re-adopted, or selected as new candidates, persons of my age."

Mr Nicholson challenged what he called a "cult of youth" and the idea that 1997 should become the Conservative "Year Zero" with earlier people and achievements "airbrushed from history".

He said the proportion of the national electorate aged over 50 was higher than ever and seemed likely to continue to grow.

There could be a case for more experienced members to reinforce the present Conservative MPs, who tended on average to be "rather young".

Mr Nicholson said: "All this could have been a matter of debate within the local Conservative membership of over 1,000 as the candidate selection process went forward.

"William Hague has made it clear, whether over policy or over candidate selection, he wants the widest possible participation by Conservative supporters.

"In contrast, the committee which rejected my application numbered 18."

Mr Nicholson said he would retain happy memories of nearly 14 years of political involvement with the constituency, and thanked everyone who helped to make those memories.

Constituency chairman Ernest Lister said he could not comment on Mr Nicholson's de-selection as the process was confidential until the final three candidates were presented to the association.

Mr Lister said it was a democratic procedure and the selection panel represented all ages, backgrounds and parts of the association.