Conservative Party down to one board member

The Conservative Party's disintegration continued today as two more board members resigned, leaving the party rudderless and possibly paving the way for founder Colin Craig to make his comeback as leader.

Chairman Brian Dobbs and Laurence Day confirmed they would stand down from the board, following in the footsteps of seven other board members who quit the party this week in the wake of Mr Craig's admission of inappropriate conduct.

Those departures left the party in the hands of Christchurch-based board member John Stringer, Mr Craig's staunchest critic and a central player in this week's chaotic events.

Mr Stringer, the party's self-appointed chairman, was tonight attempting to recruit board members to get the party back on track.

The board had been scheduled to meet tomorrow, and one of the motions on the agenda was to cancel Mr Craig's membership.

Mr Stringer said the meeting could still take place.

"It is an extraordinary situation, and I haven't been left with any other choices," he said.

But he faced several obstacles. The party's constitution requires fair process before a member is expelled.

There was also confusion about Mr Stringer's status as a board member. He had been facing disciplinary action for breaking the party's code of conduct, and could still be sacked.

Mr Craig said last night he was poised to snatch back the Conservative Party which he created, funded and led, until a week ago.

He said that a new board and leader would be chosen by the party's membership, among whom he remained popular.

"There will be a resolution of members which will appoint a new board, and John Stringer will not be on that board," he said.

Meanwhile, a legal tussle with his former press secretary Rachael MacGregor to waive a confidentiality agreement has stalled.

Mr Craig said that as each day passed, it became less likely that the agreement would be lifted.

The delay has also raised the prospect that Ms MacGregor was instead considering taking Mr Craig to court for breaching the agreement.