Lord Heseltine was suspended by the Conservative Party on Monday after announcing that he was voting for the Lib Dems

David Cameron’s former director of strategy has been suspended by the Conservatives after he told The Times he was going to vote for the Liberal Democrats in the European elections.

Lord Cooper of Windrush said he would do “what is best for the country” and back the Lib Dems in the poll because of its support for a second EU referendum.

A Tory spokesman said that publicly endorsing another party was “not compatible with taking the Conservative whip in parliament. “As a result, the chief whip in the House of Lords has informed Lord Cooper of Windrush that he will have the Conservative whip suspended.”

The situation will be reviewed if Lord Cooper “is willing to support Conservative candidates at future elections,” the spokesman