Tuesday, January 09, 2007
For Tory read UKIP
Iain Dale rather reluctantly reports on his blog that two Tory peers have defected to UKIP. Lord Pearson and Lord Willoughby de Broke will formally announce that they are joining UKIP this morning, declaring they have "given up hope" on the Tories. Clearly, David Cameron is just too cuddly for some of his members.
I have to agree with Iain that these peers are particularly obscure but nevertheless the significance of this event is two fold. Firstly, it shows that for all the fanfares from the Tories about obscure Liberal Democrats joining them, the movement of individuals on the fringe of political parties to other parties is quite commonplace. After all we must not forget the defection of Tory Councillors to the Lib Dems in Dover and Crawley, which lost the Conservatives control of those Councils. The Tories are losing as many as they gain.
Secondly, Lord Pearson and Lord Willoughby de Broke reflect a strong current of opinion in the Tory Party about the direction in which its leader is taking it. They have jumped ship. What must be worrying for Cameron is that the others are staying put - for now anyway.
Update: The Tories have now lost control of Erewash Borough Council as well after two of their Councillors resigned the whip and became independents.
I have to agree with Iain that these peers are particularly obscure but nevertheless the significance of this event is two fold. Firstly, it shows that for all the fanfares from the Tories about obscure Liberal Democrats joining them, the movement of individuals on the fringe of political parties to other parties is quite commonplace. After all we must not forget the defection of Tory Councillors to the Lib Dems in Dover and Crawley, which lost the Conservatives control of those Councils. The Tories are losing as many as they gain.
Secondly, Lord Pearson and Lord Willoughby de Broke reflect a strong current of opinion in the Tory Party about the direction in which its leader is taking it. They have jumped ship. What must be worrying for Cameron is that the others are staying put - for now anyway.
Update: The Tories have now lost control of Erewash Borough Council as well after two of their Councillors resigned the whip and became independents.
Comments:
<< Home
So what do you think of the former Lib Dem candidate for Swansea West Rene Kinzett taking over the leadership of the tory group on your local council? Just another fringe movement?
# posted by 
: 1:08 PM
: 1:08 PM
You mean just like the Lib Dem Group meetings in the Assembly. But seriously, is this anything other than another John Bushell?
# posted by : 1:18 PM
: 1:18 PM
The Lib Dem Assembly group needs a slightly larger telephone box as we are a bit bigger. I coukd not possibly comment on such comparisons but it does seem odd to have reached such commanding peaks so early in ones membership of a political party.
You are absolutely right - these things in general even themselves out.
Iain Dale's mistake, though, was to make out last week's lib dem defections as a big thing. On that scale today's news is a catastrophe for the Tories.
Iain Dale's mistake, though, was to make out last week's lib dem defections as a big thing. On that scale today's news is a catastrophe for the Tories.
I was going to take you to task for describing Lord Willoughby de Broke as obscure. Then I realised that I was thinking of his father, a steward of the Jockey Club.
- Frank Little
- Frank Little
So now that rockin Rene is Leader of the Conservative Group (how many of them are there, btw?) could that mean he'll soon be demanding a cabinet post? Would he get one?
# posted by : 8:27 PM
: 8:27 PM
There are five Tories but there could be less shortly! Whether Rene is made a Cabinet member is not a matter for me.
http://e-ukip-home.blogspot.com/
The United Kingdom Independence Party like to trot out the misleading story that they were responsible for losing the Conservatives 27 seats during the 2005 General Election.
Using the same sort of UKIP logic then I would like to claim that the Conservatives caused UKIP to lose 451 election deposits - costing UKIP £225,500.00.
If people had voted UKIP instead of Conservative, then UKIP would have gained more votes and kept all those lost deposits.
I do hope any potential UKIP donors like seeing their money vanish down a black hole. You might as well use your cash for toilet paper for all the good it will do!
Post a Comment
The United Kingdom Independence Party like to trot out the misleading story that they were responsible for losing the Conservatives 27 seats during the 2005 General Election.
Using the same sort of UKIP logic then I would like to claim that the Conservatives caused UKIP to lose 451 election deposits - costing UKIP £225,500.00.
If people had voted UKIP instead of Conservative, then UKIP would have gained more votes and kept all those lost deposits.
I do hope any potential UKIP donors like seeing their money vanish down a black hole. You might as well use your cash for toilet paper for all the good it will do!
# posted by : 8:15 AM
: 8:15 AM<< Home
