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Tory MP Mark Reckless defects to Ukip Tory MP Mark Reckless defects to Ukip
(about 2 hours later)
Mark Reckless, the Tory MP for Rochester and Strood, has become the second Conservative member to defect to Ukip in the space of two months.Mark Reckless, the Tory MP for Rochester and Strood, has become the second Conservative member to defect to Ukip in the space of two months.
The eurosceptic politician said he had not taken the decision lightly but claimed the Conservative leadership was “part of the problem that is holding our country back”.The eurosceptic politician said he had not taken the decision lightly but claimed the Conservative leadership was “part of the problem that is holding our country back”.
The surprise announcement, which comes on the eve of the Conservative party conference in Birmingham, is a further blow to David Cameron.Appearing on stage to a rapturous reception at the Ukip conference in Doncaster, he said voters felt “ripped off and lied to”, adding: “Today I am leaving the Conservative party and joining Ukip.” The surprise announcement, which comes on the eve of the Conservative party conference in Birmingham, is a further blow to David Cameron eight months before the general election.Appearing on stage to a rapturous reception at the Ukip conference in Doncaster, he said voters felt “ripped off and lied to”, adding: “Today I am leaving the Conservative party and joining Ukip.”
Reckless said he had endured a number of sleepless nights over the decision, telling the conference he had been a Conservative “as long as I can remember”.Reckless said he had endured a number of sleepless nights over the decision, telling the conference he had been a Conservative “as long as I can remember”.
He added: “I do feel that the leadership of the Conservative party is part of the problem that is holding our country back.”He added: “I do feel that the leadership of the Conservative party is part of the problem that is holding our country back.”
Reckless said he had made promises to constituents at the last election that the government was failing to keep. A Conservative spokesman said the decision by Reckless was “completely illogical”, adding: “He says he wants action on a European referendum, tax and immigration. The only party capable of delivering on these issues is the Conservative party - and a vote for Ukip is a vote for Ed Miliband.”​​
He said: “I also promised that we would make government live within its means like the rest of us had to. Yet, we will see in this parliament in just five years a Conservative-led government adding more to our national debt than even Labour managed in 13 years. And two weeks ago the three Westminster leaders promised to give £1,600 extra to every Scot. Andrew Mackness, chairman of Rochester and Strood Conservatives, told Sky News he was “astonished and disgusted” by Reckless’s action and that he had given reassurances just 48 hours ago that he would not defect.
“As well as fairness to everyone else in our country, I promised to help restore order to our public finances yet I find I cannot do that as a Conservative but I can do it as Ukip.” Reckless told the Guardian late last month that he would be staying with the Tories to help David Cameron ensure he could deliver his promise of a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union in 2017.
Reckless said the Tories had made election pledges to do away with housing targets to stop green spaces being concreted over but the Conservative council in Medway, “under Government pressure”, had increased its numbers. He said MPs were now often little more than “agents of a political class”. He dismissed the prime minister’s promise of an in-out referendum: “I’m afraid I have reluctantly reached the view that he is doing so purely as a device. He has already pre-ordained his intended outcome, namely continued membership of the EU on something very close to the present terms. Everything else is for show. In this hall we want a straight referendum, an honest referendum. In or out, no fudge, no conjuring trick.”
Reckless’s website makes mention of his drive to reduce immigration to the UK – “particularly trying to stop a large inflow of migrants from Romania and Bulgaria”.
His move comes despite telling the Guardian late last month that he would be staying with the Tories to help David Cameron ensure he could deliver his promise of a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union in 2017. The defection will put more pressure on the prime minister eight months out from the general election.
A very warm welcome to @MarkReckless to #UKIPConf14 and UKIP! pic.twitter.com/fMNSOHg0cAA very warm welcome to @MarkReckless to #UKIPConf14 and UKIP! pic.twitter.com/fMNSOHg0cA
Reckless will follow the example set by Douglas Carswell, who said last month he would stand down as Tory MP for Clacton, to trigger a byelection and stand as a Ukip candidate.Reckless will follow the example set by Douglas Carswell, who said last month he would stand down as Tory MP for Clacton, to trigger a byelection and stand as a Ukip candidate.
He has a majority of about 10,000 votes over Labour in the Kent constituency, which was created in 2010, and won almost 50% of the vote with a swing of 9.8%. Nigel Farage, the Ukip leader, told the party conference that polling showed Carswell was on course to win the 9 October byelection with 56% of the vote, pushing the Conservatives into second on 24%.
Reckless said he answered to his constituents and wanted to seek their permission to change allegiance. “They are the boss and if I am to seek to represent them under different colours, I hope in a party that is closer to their values, then I shall ask their permission,” the MP said. “So I will resign my seat in parliament, trigger a byelection and, your national executive allowing, stand for Ukip.” However, Reckless faces a more difficult battle in his constituency than Carswell. He won the Kent seat for the Tories in 2010 with a majority of about 10,000 - almost 50% of the vote.
His constituents did not believe that Britain had control over who entered the country, Reckless said: “The insanity of our immigration rules means that a second-generation Briton wanting to bring granny over for a wedding – still less if they want to get married to someone from abroad themselves – will face huge difficulties, yet they will see an open door to immigration to anyone from the European Union. Farage said: “I am going to do everything I can to support Mark Reckless in that byelection. I shall be down there, I shall knock on doors, I shall do whatever it takes. This man has shown huge courage. He has thrown his lot in with us and we will do everything we can to get him elected.”
“Now does anyone – left or right – genuinely support an immigration system where we turn away the best and brightest from our Commonwealth, people with links and family here in order to make room for unskilled immigration from southern and eastern Europe. Asked about other possible defections, Farage replied: “We have these conversations. Of course there are Conservatives I am talking to but there are Labour people too. There are Labour people who are deeply frustrated with Ed Miliband’s leadership.”
Ukip’s prospective parliamentary candidate in Rochester and Strood, Mark Hanson, had been unaware of the plans to install Reckless in the seat but told conference that he was happy to stand aside.
Reckless’s website mentions his drive to reduce immigration to the UK – “particularly trying to stop a large inflow of migrants from Romania and Bulgaria”.
His constituents did not believe that Britain had control over who entered the country, the MP said: “The insanity of our immigration rules means that a second-generation Briton wanting to bring granny over for a wedding – still less if they want to get married to someone from abroad themselves – will face huge difficulties, yet they will see an open door to immigration to anyone from the European Union.
“I promise to cut immigration while treating people fairly and humanely. I cannot keep that promise as a Conservative; I can keep it as Ukip.”“I promise to cut immigration while treating people fairly and humanely. I cannot keep that promise as a Conservative; I can keep it as Ukip.”
He was one of the 43 MPs who voted against approving British air strikes in Iraq on Friday and has campaigned against funding cuts to the armed forces. Reckless was one of the 43 MPs who voted against approving British air strikes in Iraq on Friday and has campaigned against funding cuts to the armed forces.
Just two months after being elected in May 2010, Reckless apologised for being drunk in the Commons and missing a vote on the budget. He did not feel it was appropriate to take part in the vote in the early hours because of the amount of alcohol he had consumed. “Given this very embarrassing experience I don’t intend to drink at Westminster again,” the MP told BBC Radio Kent at the time. “I made a mistake. I’m really sorry about it.”Reckless, who graduated from Oxford University in PPE and has an MBA from Columbia Business School, was called to the bar in 2007 after working as an economist for investment banks. He had also worked for the Conservatives’ policy unit and was elected in 2010, becoming a member of the House of Commons home affairs select committee. He is married with two children. Just two months after being elected in May 2010, he apologised for being drunk in the Commons and missing a vote on the budget.
“Given this very embarrassing experience I don’t intend to drink at Westminster again,” he told BBC Radio Kent at the time. “I made a mistake. I’m really sorry about it.”Reckless, who graduated from Oxford University in PPE and has an MBA from Columbia Business School, was called to the bar in 2007 after working as an economist for investment banks. He had also worked for the Conservatives’ policy unit and was elected in 2010, becoming a member of the House of Commons home affairs select committee. He is married with two children.
Meanwhile, the former Castle Point MP Bob Spink, who defected from the Conservatives to Ukip in 2008, told the conference that he wished he had taken the same decision to spark a byelection as Carswell and now Reckless.Meanwhile, the former Castle Point MP Bob Spink, who defected from the Conservatives to Ukip in 2008, told the conference that he wished he had taken the same decision to spark a byelection as Carswell and now Reckless.
“I entered parliament in 1992 and I defected to Ukip in 2008. I deeply regret not having Douglas’s courage to call a byelection. I was wrong. That was a mistake,” he told delegates.“I entered parliament in 1992 and I defected to Ukip in 2008. I deeply regret not having Douglas’s courage to call a byelection. I was wrong. That was a mistake,” he told delegates.
Spink predicted the party would secure more than five MPs at next year’s election: “The number of Ukip MPs will be the headline next year, but our share of the national vote is also important. It gives us influence.”Spink predicted the party would secure more than five MPs at next year’s election: “The number of Ukip MPs will be the headline next year, but our share of the national vote is also important. It gives us influence.”