Crawley Council has been accused of a "gross misuse of public money" after sending out a newsletter that reads like a Labour Party leaflet.

Henry Smith, the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Crawley, claims the latest issue of the Broadfield newsletter is a misuse of cash by the council.

He said the quarterly newsletter, which has just gone out to 4,000 homes, was "more like a Labour Party leaflet than an impartial community information newsletter".

Mr Smith said Crawley's Labour MP Laura Moffatt had been given a full page to promote Crawley Hospital's downgrade and make political swipes at the Conservative Party.

He added: "Mrs Moffatt seeks to explain why Labour has approved our hospital's downgrade. As this is reported in an official borough publication, can we take it that Crawley Council also supports the terrible downgrade? The public has a right to know and a right to reply.

"This gross misuse of public money by Crawley Council to promote Labour propaganda is quite unacceptable."

Mr Smith said the newsletter was produced and distributed by the council at taxpayers' expense and should restrict itself to Broadfield community news.

He said Conservative colleagues on the council would be pursuing the matter through the official council administration channels.

Mrs Moffatt said as a Broadfield resident and the town's MP she was regularly asked to write for the newsletter and Mr Smith had not complained before.

She said: "Obviously the hospital is a major concern to the town and I was asked by the council to do a piece about it. I don't have editorial control.

"I am lucky enough to be the MP and I put my views forward if asked for them."

In the newsletter Mrs Moffatt said she had reluctantly accepted downgrading in the short term but there was much to be pleased about.

She detailed improvements for Crawley Hospital including a £4.25 million refurbishment.

Crawley Council executive member for community engagement, Brenda Smith, accused Mr Smith of trying to score cheap political points.

She said: "The hospital is a key issue locally and Laura Moffatt is an active resident who can express her views, just like the organisers do of the Happy Hut child care group and the local credit union."

She said the council would continue to work to make sure the town got the health service it deserved.