A ROW has broken out between a pensioner and a social club over his political stance.

Don Smith says he feels like he is being forced out of Wellington and District Conservative club following a letter which he wrote appeared in the County Gazette.

In the letter earlier this month, the 82-year-old, who has been a Conservative for 65 years, said he is changing his support to UKIP after attending their party conference.

However, officials at the club, on the town’s High Street, believe Mr Smith’s comments broke club rules.

Mr Smith, of Buckwell, Wellington, said: “I have lived in that club since 1936.

“I’ve always been a Conservative and I will be a Conservative for the last few years that I’ve got.

“Just because I am a supporter of UKIP doesn’t mean I am going to stop being a Conservative; I will be a UKIP Conservative.”

After the letter appeared in the ‘paper, the club’s committee discussed it at their monthly meeting and wrote to Mr Smith personally.

The response said: “The committee noted that you are changing your support from the Conservative Party to UKIP and we, therefore, assume from your action that you no longer wish to be a member of the Wellington Conservative Club.”

Mr Smith, who visits the club on average twice a week, feels he is being “dictated to”.

He added: “Have I not got the right to freedom of speech? The club seems to be a dictatorship, saying I don’t have the right to say I support UKIP without their permission.

“My sister is also a member of the club. Is she going to be kicked out, too, because she is family?”

Jim Nicol, Wellington Conservative Club secretary, said: “We are pleased to learn that Mr Smith continues to support the Conservative Party, however, the committee believes he has breached club rules.

“We do not discuss internal club affairs in the media and we hope Mr Smith, who is still a member of the club, will contact either me or the chairman.”