A leading politician has quit 'under duress' after being slated for taking time out from election campaigning - to see Kylie Minogue in concert.

The pop temptress unwittingly sparked a leadership row within the South Dorset Conservatives after deputy chairman Daniel Smy went to see her on the sell-out Showgirl tour, the last weekend before the May 5 General Election.

Now he has quit his position, claiming he was asked to resign under duress.

A party insider said Mr Smy was accused of letting the party down during the election campaign after going to the Kylie concert in London. The candidate he was supporting, Ed Matts, failed in his bid to wrest the South Dorset seat from Labour's Jim Knight.

Party chairman Teresa Seall has also resigned and new chairman George Preston said Mr Smy had quit due to the pressure of work commitments.

Mr Smy, also a West Dorset District councillor, who was elected as deputy chairman in March, said: "I was asked to resign under duress. I feel that I have been pushed out."

He admitted going to see the Australian diva at Earl's Court during her sell-out Showgirl tour on the last Sunday before the election - when traditionally no campaigning takes place.

Mr Smy said he booked the tickets six months in advance of the concert, before the election was called.

He added he had taken two weeks leave from working at Portman Building Society to help the party, campaigning on behalf of Conservative candidate Ed Matts - who failed to take the seat from MP Jim Knight.

Mr Smy, 31, said: "You would have thought that the local Conservatives would have wanted to keep a prominent young person."

He added that he would remain a party member and said: "I'm deeply upset that I could not carry on in the position I was elected to in March."

South Dorset Conservative chairman George Preston said: "After the election we were very disappointed about the result.

"The leadership have got to take a certain element of the blame.

"It's quite normal for leaders and deputy leaders to move on."

South Dorset Conservative agent Mike Dennes said: "It's a natural movement after an election - there was no culling or head chopping off."