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David Cameron refuses to attack Ukip David Cameron refuses to attack Ukip
(5 months later)
David Cameron has pointedly refused to follow his cabinet colleague Ken Clarke in a personal attack on Ukip or its supporters, saying that this week's local elections should be seen as a fight between the blue and the red corners.David Cameron has pointedly refused to follow his cabinet colleague Ken Clarke in a personal attack on Ukip or its supporters, saying that this week's local elections should be seen as a fight between the blue and the red corners.
Campaigning in Somerset, he repeatedly refused to repeat his 2006 claim that Ukip was full of "fruitcakes". He said: "My boringly predictable message for these elections is that you should choose who you want to run your local council."Campaigning in Somerset, he repeatedly refused to repeat his 2006 claim that Ukip was full of "fruitcakes". He said: "My boringly predictable message for these elections is that you should choose who you want to run your local council."
The view inside the Conservative HQ is that high-octane attacks on Ukip will only act as a recruiting sergeant and allow Nigel Farage, the Ukip leader, to claim that he is the victim of an establishment stitch-up.The view inside the Conservative HQ is that high-octane attacks on Ukip will only act as a recruiting sergeant and allow Nigel Farage, the Ukip leader, to claim that he is the victim of an establishment stitch-up.
The only Conservative MP who is known to have previously been a Ukip member, George Eustice, also urged the party to focus on setting out the Tories' own policies, rather than going for personalised attacks.The only Conservative MP who is known to have previously been a Ukip member, George Eustice, also urged the party to focus on setting out the Tories' own policies, rather than going for personalised attacks.
Eustice said: "We don't need to panic. We need to emphasise that we will give a referendum on Europe after a renegotiation, and that we are bringing immigration down already."Eustice said: "We don't need to panic. We need to emphasise that we will give a referendum on Europe after a renegotiation, and that we are bringing immigration down already."
He said: "There is a difference between Ukip's core activists on the one hand and those normal members of the public who simply see them as a way to register a protest vote. I hope that voters will focus on the consequences of not backing good Conservative candidates who are delivering locally."He said: "There is a difference between Ukip's core activists on the one hand and those normal members of the public who simply see them as a way to register a protest vote. I hope that voters will focus on the consequences of not backing good Conservative candidates who are delivering locally."
Eustice suggested that a vote for Ukip would only divide the vote on the right, so letting pro-European Labour and Liberal Democrats into office.Eustice suggested that a vote for Ukip would only divide the vote on the right, so letting pro-European Labour and Liberal Democrats into office.
A bad result for the Conservatives in Thursday's council elections is also likely to raise pressure on Cameron to legislate for a European referendum in this parliament.A bad result for the Conservatives in Thursday's council elections is also likely to raise pressure on Cameron to legislate for a European referendum in this parliament.
The London mayor, Boris Johnson, also called for calm, saying: "There are a few ill-advised insults flying about in recent days."The London mayor, Boris Johnson, also called for calm, saying: "There are a few ill-advised insults flying about in recent days."
He added: "I would humbly submit that there are better ways of tackling the Ukip problem, if indeed it is really a problem at all."He added: "I would humbly submit that there are better ways of tackling the Ukip problem, if indeed it is really a problem at all."
Nevertheless, Central Office was briefing that a surge in Ukip support could lose the Tories as many as 400 council seats, more than most local election specialists have been predicting.Nevertheless, Central Office was briefing that a surge in Ukip support could lose the Tories as many as 400 council seats, more than most local election specialists have been predicting.
Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, who is offering himself as the voice of a centre vacated by Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband, said he did not believe that his party, once seen as the repository of the protest vote, was profoundly threatened by Ukip.Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, who is offering himself as the voice of a centre vacated by Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband, said he did not believe that his party, once seen as the repository of the protest vote, was profoundly threatened by Ukip.
Clegg, who was also campaigning in the south-west, said the big central question in British politics was "who's got the right priorities in tough times". He insisted he was not going to allow the budgets of protected departments to be raided by other departments. The defence secretary, Philip Hammond, had been pressing for a £500m raid on education and health to help with the health and schooling of soldier's families.Clegg, who was also campaigning in the south-west, said the big central question in British politics was "who's got the right priorities in tough times". He insisted he was not going to allow the budgets of protected departments to be raided by other departments. The defence secretary, Philip Hammond, had been pressing for a £500m raid on education and health to help with the health and schooling of soldier's families.
Clegg said: "The protections for the NHS, the protections for schools, the guarantee that we will spend the money, 0.7% of national wealth, on the poorest people in the world through development assistance, they will remain there. And, of course, the schools budget is there for schools. It's not there to run the day-to-day operations of the Ministry of Defence in military terms. It's there for schools, and it will always remain there, for schools."Clegg said: "The protections for the NHS, the protections for schools, the guarantee that we will spend the money, 0.7% of national wealth, on the poorest people in the world through development assistance, they will remain there. And, of course, the schools budget is there for schools. It's not there to run the day-to-day operations of the Ministry of Defence in military terms. It's there for schools, and it will always remain there, for schools."
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