DOCTOR and radio presenter Phil Hammond was sacked by the BBC today for planning to stand against arch-Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg at the next election.

Dr Hammond accused Auntie of “fear” after it pulled his weekly Saturday Surgery show from BBC Radio Bristol, saying he was “very sad and a little puzzled” by the move.

On Tuesday evening, the doctor said he had been endorsed by the National Health Action Party (NHA) as a prospective parliamentary candidate in his home constituency of North East Somerset.

The anti-privatisation NHA’s best result came last year, when Louise Irvine came second to then health secretary Jeremy Hunt in South West Surrey, scooping more than 12,000 votes.

But, less than 12 hours later, Mr Hammond said: “Well that was quick. I’ve been sacked by BBC Radio Bristol for announcing my intention to stand for the NHA against Jacob Rees-Mogg.”

Dr Hammond previously stood for Parliament in 1992, winning 87 votes in then health secretary William Waldegrave's Bristol West constituency for the Struck Off and Die Doctors’ Alliance.

He pointed out that he had announced his intention a month ago live on BBC One, saying: “Anyone here can see what my politics are. I thought transparency was good.”

Mr Hammond said he had told the head of BBC Radio Bristol Jess Rudkin that he was “considering standing and she thought I would only have to come off air during purdah.”

In a statement, he said: “I strongly suspect whoever made this decision has never listened to any of my broadcasts. Such a sudden decision smells strongly of fear.

“There is no political bias on the Saturday Surgery, just three hours of health and happiness with some live music.”

A BBC spokeswoman defended the decision, saying: “Impartiality is at the heart of our journalism.

“Active political involvement is an area covered by our editorial guidelines.

“Standing as a candidate in an election is a conflict of interest and someone seeking election is unable to continue in this type of editorial role.”

The BBC faces strong criticism over its apparent pro-Tory bias and allegations of a revolving door between the top jobs at the corporation and the Conservative Party.

No 10 director of communications Robbie Gibb went straight to Downing Street from his job editing the Daily Politics, having been political adviser to Tory MPs Francis Maude and Michael Portillo before that.

Former BBC political editor Nick Robinson was president of Oxford University’s Conservative Association, while Daily Politics presenter Andrew Neil briefly worked for the Tories decades before taking Murdoch’s shilling.