A senior Conservative peer has attacked party leader William Hague for refusing to expel race row MP John Townend.

Lord Taylor of Warwick, a former home office adviser and Tory parliamentary candidate, accused Mr Hague of a "cop out" fuelled by fear of a "certain right wing element" in the Conservative Party.

All people, all communities, all races and backgrounds are welcome in the Conservative Party

William Hague

In his latest controversial comments Mr Townend said ministers wanted to turn the British into a "mongrel" race and he told the Commission for Racial Equality it should be abolished.

Mr Hague rejected Mr Townend's views but said he would not punish the MP, who is standing down at the election.

'Boot him out'

Lord Taylor, who said Mr Townend was determined to continue spouting "racist rubbish", responded by mocking Mr Hague's "14 pints-a-day macho image".

He said: "Now is Mr Hague's chance to demonstrate real macho leadership by withdrawing the whip from Mr Townend and booting him out of the Conservative Party."

The retiring MP had caused "a great deal of offence, not only to ethnic minorities around the country but to decent people in England of whatever colour who believe in and live in a multi-racial, multi-cultural society," he added.

Mr Townend insisted he was not racist

Mr Townend's attack on the CRE came in a letter to the organisation explaining why he has refused to sign a pledge not to exploit the race issue during the election.

The East Yorkshire MP told the BBC: "All this emphasis on race and colour from the race relations industry is counter-productive.

"And whatever parents might think, it is in the long-term interests of their children and grandchildren that they do not consider themselves part of a minority in this country, they consider themselves to be English or Scottish."

The CRE pledge was an attempt to stop debate on illegal immigration, which was a matter of concern to his constituents, said Mr Townend.

He went on: "Houses required for our young people are now being occupied by asylum seekers."

"This is an important issue at the election but anyone who puts their head above the parapet is accused of being a racist."

'Colour blind' society

Mr Townend said the implications of a speech last week by Foreign Secretary Robin Cook that the British were not a race meant they were a "mongrel" race.

Houses required for our young people are now being occupied by asylum seekers

Tory MP John Townend

Calling for a "colour blind society", he insisted he was not racist.

He accepted legal immigrants but said they should not receive special treatment as this would antagonise the "indigenous" population.

Remarks on race by Mr Townend earlier this month sparked a bitter row between Labour and the Conservatives over the issue.

Hague jostled

During a visit to Pudsey, near Leeds, on Friday, Mr Hague was jostled by protestors, some of whom called out "sack him" in an apparent reference to Mr Townend.

Mr Hague said of the MP: "He does not agree with a multi-cultural position. I do.

Mr Hague said he was proud of the Tory record

"People in Britain of all origins and communities want this country to be a safe haven but not a soft touch.

"The Conservative Party is totally opposed to any racism of any form."

The Liberal Democrats said Mr Townend's views had no place in "any mainstream British political party".

Their home affairs spokesman Simon Hughes added: "The challenge for the Conservative Party is to make sure that no other Conservative candidates already chosen to fight the election have similar views."