The chief executive of Thanet council has threatened legal action against the Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale over comments he has made concerning the conduct of senior council officers.

In an extraordinary twist to the long-running saga over the fate of Manston airport, chief executive Madeline Homer has written to the North Thanet MP to raise concerns about the remarks.

Ms Homer said the MP had wrongly accused council officers of "ill-advised decisions" concerning the CPO for Dreamland.

Sir Roger released an e-mail this week to Ukip leader Chris Wells, in which he withdrew his support for the council in its efforts to secure a CPO for Manston.

The email questioned the conduct of officers who were negotiating the compulsory purchase order council for Dreamland, with the MP saying “those responsible will have to take the full professional consequences for any adverse fallout.”

Now the council chief has written to Sir Roger alleging that the remarks are defamatory and that there was no truth to the claims.

In her letter, she asks the MP to withdraw the email from the public domain and give an undertaking not to repeat the comments.

“I am now obtaining counsel’s advice to consider what action should be taken to support the officers defamed by your publication.”

Sir Roger gave the letter short shrift and replied to say he stood by his remarks.

You appear to need to be reminded that I have been elected to represent, promote and protect the interests of my constituents - MP Gale to council chief

He wrote: “I stand by my observations which are neither defamatory nor libellous. You appear to need to be reminded that I have been elected to represent, promote and protect the interests of my constituents and I shall continue to do so without fear or favour at every level of government.”

He added: “Noting that you have chosen to release your own e-mail publicly and that comment indicates that I have not responded I am making this communication, also, publicly available.”

It comes as Ukip lost its majority at the council as a fifth councillor defected to a small independent group.

Cllr Jeff Elenor, who represents Margate Central and also a county councillor, has switched saying he was unhappy about the progress being made on Manston.