A BARMAN with ambitions of ousting Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg as a Sheffield MP has called off his campaign after just 10 days – handing in his resignation only hours after outlining his 20-year plan to The Star.
Daniel Gage, aged 24, was selected on November 7 as the Conservative representative to challenge Mr Clegg for his Sheffield Hallam seat.
But his campaign launch last week coincided with the news he had been kicked off Dronfield Town Council for failing to attend a single meeting in six months.
Mr Gage, the son of former Sheffield United full-back Kevin Gage, defended his 'administrative mistake' and told The Star he was still confident of winning Hallam, which was in Tory hands for 70 years before the Lib Dems won it in 1997.
Mr Gage, who gave up his job at The Devonshire Arms pub in Totley to campaign full-time, and had moved from Dronfield to live in his constituency, said: "We only need an eight per cent swing, and I think I'm just the kind of candidate who can appeal to voters and get the seat back for us."
But within hours of outlining his policies to The Star – which included cutting tax for pensioners, and donating 15 per cent of his own salary to local youth projects – Mr Gage was summoned to a 45-minute meeting in Bradford with Conservative regional officials.
There he was shown 18 letters of complaint from Sheffield members.
He claims he was pressured into signing a resignation statement which said his disqualification from Dronfield Town Council had made his "position untenable".
He said he felt pressured into stepping down to avoid a repeat of a recent controversy in Norfolk where activists clashed with central Tories over their choice of candidate.
He said today that his resignation note was written for him.
"I felt bullied into signing the resignation letter.
"I was told I should try to avoid a deselection process which could drag out over two weeks."
But a Conservative spokesman refuted his claims and said the association will now begin the process of selecting a new parliamentary candidate.
"We do not recognise Daniel's version of events," he insisted today.
"David Pinder, the chairman of the Sheffield Association, received a letter of resignation from Daniel's email account. His resignation has been accepted."
Mr Gage claims local party members never wanted him to be selected for the candidacy and alleged that before his speech to selectors he was told "not to try too hard – because you won't get a decent seat".
He said: "They really do not like new blood or new ideas – and I've been stitched up. They have orchestrated this to kick me out using the Dronfield mistake as an excuse.
"I wouldn't be so confident in saying this if so many other candidates and activists hadn't been forced out."
Mr Gage said he intends to fight to remain the candidate for Hallam – "preferably as a Tory but, if not, as an independent."
What do you think? Add your comment below.READ MORESubscribe to The StarMain news indexYour lettersFeaturesSouth Yorkshire's environmental newsKids ZoneMore business newsMore Rotherham newsMore Doncaster newsMore Barnsley newsLatest sport