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| Tory defectors to UKIP would be 'utterly nuts' - Boris | Tory defectors to UKIP would be 'utterly nuts' - Boris |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Any Conservatives thinking about joining rivals UKIP "must be utterly nuts", Boris Johnson has claimed. | Any Conservatives thinking about joining rivals UKIP "must be utterly nuts", Boris Johnson has claimed. |
| The Tory London mayor suggested would-be switchers wanted the country to "sleepwalk into a Labour government". | The Tory London mayor suggested would-be switchers wanted the country to "sleepwalk into a Labour government". |
| But, writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said press reports of more defections in the offing were "fanciful". | But, writing in the Daily Telegraph, he said press reports of more defections in the offing were "fanciful". |
| It comes after two Conservative MPs in one month - first Douglas Carswell and, over the weekend, Mark Reckless - left for Nigel Farage's Eurosceptic party. | It comes after two Conservative MPs in one month - first Douglas Carswell and, over the weekend, Mark Reckless - left for Nigel Farage's Eurosceptic party. |
| The defections have caused "unconstrained fury" in the Conservative leadership, the BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said. | The defections have caused "unconstrained fury" in the Conservative leadership, the BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said. |
| 'Disagree vehemently' | 'Disagree vehemently' |
| Mr Reckless, MP for Rochester and Strood, announced he was making the switch on the eve of his former party's conference. | Mr Reckless, MP for Rochester and Strood, announced he was making the switch on the eve of his former party's conference. |
| And as the mayor of London prepares to address delegates in Birmingham, he used his weekly newspaper column to appeal to any of his colleagues thinking of following suit. | And as the mayor of London prepares to address delegates in Birmingham, he used his weekly newspaper column to appeal to any of his colleagues thinking of following suit. |
| "Let me try to reason with any in my party, the folk who want to launch themselves headlong into the silage, because I genuinely think that they (if they indeed exist) must be utterly nuts," he wrote. | "Let me try to reason with any in my party, the folk who want to launch themselves headlong into the silage, because I genuinely think that they (if they indeed exist) must be utterly nuts," he wrote. |
| Mr Johnson, whose speeches have become an annual conference highlight for grassroots activists, said only Conservative leader David Cameron or his Labour counterpart Ed Miliband were "in a position" to become prime minister. | Mr Johnson, whose speeches have become an annual conference highlight for grassroots activists, said only Conservative leader David Cameron or his Labour counterpart Ed Miliband were "in a position" to become prime minister. |
| "I know that you disagree vehemently with most of what Ed Miliband says and does - and so I must urge you not to allow the disaster of a Miliband premiership," he went on. | "I know that you disagree vehemently with most of what Ed Miliband says and does - and so I must urge you not to allow the disaster of a Miliband premiership," he went on. |
| "If you really want to let this country sleepwalk into a Labour government, then that is your prerogative. You can close your eyes and let it happen. You kip if you want to; the rest of us are going to fight and win." | "If you really want to let this country sleepwalk into a Labour government, then that is your prerogative. You can close your eyes and let it happen. You kip if you want to; the rest of us are going to fight and win." |
| His intervention comes as the Conservatives look to turn minds to policy and the 2015 general election after Mr Reckless's defection and the resignation of cabinet office minister Brooks Newmark. | |
| Chancellor George Osborne is set to announce that a 55% tax on "defined contribution" pension pots is to be abolished. | Chancellor George Osborne is set to announce that a 55% tax on "defined contribution" pension pots is to be abolished. |
| The party has also announced pledges on welfare and help for first time buyers. | The party has also announced pledges on welfare and help for first time buyers. |