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Eurosceptic Tory MPs rule out further UKIP defections Stuart Wheeler: More Tory defections to UKIP 'odds on'
(about 4 hours later)
Eurosceptic Tory MPs have rallied round David Cameron after one of their number - Douglas Carswell - defected to UKIP. Further Conservative MPs are "more likely than not" to follow Douglas Carswell to UKIP, the party's treasurer Stuart Wheeler has told the BBC.
Prominent backbenchers Peter Bone, Stewart Jackson and Nadine Dorries are among those to have ruled out a defection to Nigel Farage's party. The spread-betting tycoon said it was "odds on" - and he urged those thinking about defecting to get in touch with him "for the sake of the country".
Mr Farage said further defections were likely if Mr Carswell won the by-election in his Clacton seat. A UKIP source has also told BBC News the party is talking to five to 10 Labour MPs about possible defection.
But Tory former Cabinet minister John Redwood said this was "a figment of UKIP's imagination". But this was firmly denied by Labour, who accused UKIP of mischief-making.
Mr Carswell decided to stand down as an MP - rather than sitting in the Commons under a UKIP banner until next year's general election - triggering a by-election in his Essex constituency. Mr Carswell officially resigned as an MP on Friday, a day after he announced he was quitting the Conservatives and would fight a subsequent by-election as a UKIP candidate because he did not believe David Cameron was "serious" about reforming Britain's relationship with Europe.
If he wins the vote, which is not expected to take place before early October, Mr Carswell would become UKIP's first elected MP, giving the party a long-awaited platform at Westminster to push for Britain's exit from the EU. Secret lunches
His surprise move has prompted speculation about the number of other Tories who could also jump ship, with UKIP's Treasurer, spread betting millionaire Stuart Wheeler, saying he had sounded out eight Conservative MPs about joining the party over lunch at his favourite Mayfair restaurant. The prime minister described the move as "slightly bizarre", telling reporters that Mr Carswell was one of those who wanted to leave the EU irrespective of the outcome of negotiations he was confident would lead to a better deal for Britain in Europe.
'No roll-out' "He fought as a Conservative in 2010 when we didn't have a commitment to an in-out referendum and he has left the Conservative Party at a time we do have a commitment to an in-out referendum - that is a question for him to explain rather than me."
Mr Farage, who is visiting Mr Carswell's constituency with his new colleague, said he was "constantly" talking to Eurosceptics in the Tory and Labour Party. He said he had first begun serious discussions with Mr Carswell in June, shortly after UKIP topped the poll in European elections. Mr Carswell's defection prompted a flurry of speculation that other Eurosceptic backbenchers would jump ship - fuelled by Mr Wheeler's revelation that he had discussed the possibility with eight of them in recent years, although he declined to name names.
Mr Carswell said he had turned to UKIP after talking to Mr Cameron's advisers about the PM's pledge of an in/out referendum on Britain's EU membership, which had convinced him the Tory leader was not "serious" about the issue. He told BBC News he had approached 10 Tory MPs and eight had agreed to meet him secretly for lunch at his favourite Italian restaurant in Mayfair.
Mr Farage told reporters in Clacton: "There is only one party for a genuine Eurosceptic. That is UKIP." They did not include Mr Carswell, he revealed, adding that UKIP leader Nigel Farage had handled that defection personally, and he had not always directly asked them to defect, just inquired whether they wanted to meet Mr Farage.
Asked by BBC Radio 4's Becky Milligan, if any of them had been tempted to defect, he said: "I am sure they will be tempted but the question is whether they give into that temptation."
'Deeply unhappy'
Asked about the likelihood of other defections before the general election, he said: "If I had to put money on, one way or another, before I knew the result of this by-election, I would say odds on, more likely than not but only just."
MPs wanting to discuss their future should contact him in the strictest of confidence, added the former Tory donor.
"For the sake of the country they should defect because we are doing the right thing for the country and the Conservative Party are doing the wrong thing," he told BBC Radio 4's The World at One.
A senior UKIP source also told Becky Milligan that the party was talking to five to ten Labour MPs about possibly changing affiliation.
The MPs in question, the source said, were "deeply unhappy with their party, and feel that people are fed up being patronised by the Labour glitterati".
'Speculation'
But Labour firmly denied any of its MPs were in talks with UKIP or considering defection.
Shadow defence secretary Vernon Coaker said: "I'm not about to jump and you won't see other Labour MPs jumping."
He said he was not aware of any Labour MPs who had sufficient doubts about Labour's stance on Europe to look elsewhere.
Mr Farage, who visited Mr Carswell's constituency with his new colleague, said he was "constantly" talking to Eurosceptics in the Tory and Labour Party.
Mr Farage told reporters: "There is only one party for a genuine Eurosceptic. That is UKIP."
He said talk of further defections was "speculation", but added: "If Douglas Carswell wins this by-election, and I believe he will, there will be others on the Tory and Labour backbenchers who may think 'UKIP is for us.'"He said talk of further defections was "speculation", but added: "If Douglas Carswell wins this by-election, and I believe he will, there will be others on the Tory and Labour backbenchers who may think 'UKIP is for us.'"
The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson dismissed reports of a "planned roll-out" of defections but said some MPs may be waiting to see the result of the by-election before contemplating such a step. Prominent backbenchers Peter Bone, Stewart Jackson and Nadine Dorries are among those to have ruled out a defection to Nigel Farage's party as Eurosceptic Tory MPs rallied round David Cameron.
'Dream on'
Conservative Eurosceptic John Redwood said talk of eight defections was a "figment of UKIP's imagination", suggesting that this was merely an estimate of the number of MPs who may have had lunch with Stuart Wheeler, a former Tory donor who is now UKIP's treasurer.
"Dream on UKIP. It is the kind of figure that you would put round if you were UKIP." he told Radio 4's Today programme.
Although he declined to mention any names, Mr Wheeler suggested that as many as 16 Tories were broadly sympathetic to UKIP.
"A lot of them have it in the back of their minds (to defect) but they are worried about losing their seats," he told Sky News.
However, he said defectors would have a much better chance of holding onto their seats than two years ago and those "on the brink" would be further encouraged if Mr Carswell won.
Among MPs to have ruled out joining UKIP include long-standing EU rebels Mark Pritchard, John Baron, Bill Cash, Bernard Jenkin and Jacob-Rees Mogg.
Speaking in Clacton, Mr Carswell said he had a "phenomenal amount of support" since announcing his decision, adding there had been a "real shift in opinion locally".
He added: "I could lose. There is a risk in this. I am putting my principles on the table."
Clacton's votersClacton's voters
The seaside seat of Clacton's population is older than the national average, and pollsters have found that UKIP's appeal is strongest among the over-60s.The seaside seat of Clacton's population is older than the national average, and pollsters have found that UKIP's appeal is strongest among the over-60s.
Analysis of demographic data by Nottingham University's Matthew Goodwin suggests that Clacton is "the most favourable seat for UKIP in the country".Analysis of demographic data by Nottingham University's Matthew Goodwin suggests that Clacton is "the most favourable seat for UKIP in the country".
In graphics: Will Clacton's voters opt for UKIP?In graphics: Will Clacton's voters opt for UKIP?
The maverick backbencher had been unhappy with Prime Minister David Cameron's stance over Europe and his shelving of plans to allow recall elections to remove misbehaving MPs between elections. Conservative Eurosceptic John Redwood said talk of eight possible defections was a "figment of UKIP's imagination", suggesting that this was merely an estimate of the number of MPs who may have had lunch with Mr Wheeler.
'Regrettable' "Dream on UKIP. It is the kind of figure that you would put round if you were UKIP." he told Radio 4's Today programme.
Mr Cameron has said he wants a by-election in Clacton as soon as possible and plans "to go early to Clacton" to campaign. However, a by-election is unlikely to take place before the end of the Conservative Party conference, which concludes on 1 October. Among MPs to have ruled out joining UKIP include long-standing EU rebels Mark Pritchard, John Baron, Bill Cash, Bernard Jenkin and Jacob Rees-Mogg.
Tory cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith, himself once a persistent rebel over Europe, said his former colleague had made a mistake leaving the party, as the prime minister had now backed an in-out referendum on EU membership. Speaking in Clacton, Mr Carswell said he had a "phenomenal amount of support" since announcing his decision, adding there had been a "real shift in opinion locally".
"In the course of the next few weeks and months we will have to step up the gas and make sure the public understands this," he added. He added: "I could lose. There is a risk in this. I am putting my principles on the table."
"The reality is there is only one party promising that referendum."
'Decent thing'
Meanwhile, a UKIP member says he will challenge Mr Carswell to be the party's parliamentary candidate in Clacton, claiming that he had already been chosen to fight the seat in next year's general election.
Mr Lord said Mr Carswell should have done the "decent thing" and contacted him before making his announcement, adding that he expected better treatment.
"There's a few things he could have done but he didn't do," he told Radio 4's Today programme.
"If other candidates are just swept aside willy nilly and not given a fair hearing, then there's no hope for any other candidates in place at the moment," he added. ""If you push somebody too hard they will push back. I'm just pushing back."
UKIP said its ruling body had decided that Mr Carswell would be the party's candidate at the by-election, making clear that this decision superseded arrangements which may have been in place for a general election.