Jon Ashworth MP, Labour’s shadow Cabinet Office Minister responding to Tim Yeo’s comments on the state of the Tory Party said:

“Tim Yeo is right to say that the Tory Party is shrinking, obsessive and out of touch. Its membership has halved since David Cameron became leader, and it is increasingly retreating back into its right-wing comfort zone. With a moderate MP like Tim Yeo being deselected, and ten per cent of Tory women MPs being kicked out, leaving or standing down, the Conservative Party looks less and less like modern Britain.

"Under Ed Miliband’s leadership, Labour is reforming its membership and democracy to ensure that it is open and transparent. Under David Cameron, the Conservatives look more and more out of touch.”