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Richard Barnes, former Tory deputy London mayor, backs UKIP Richard Barnes, former Tory deputy London mayor, backs UKIP
(about 1 hour later)
A former Conservative deputy mayor of London has switched his allegiance to UKIP.A former Conservative deputy mayor of London has switched his allegiance to UKIP.
Richard Barnes told the Evening Standard Prime Minister David Cameron's plans to renegotiate with Europe were "unrealistic". Richard Barnes said the main reason was his opposition to the HS2 rail link between London, the North and the Midlands.
Mr Barnes was deputy to Mayor Boris Johnson between 2008 and 2012, and was Tory leader on the London Assembly.Mr Barnes was deputy to Mayor Boris Johnson between 2008 and 2012, and was Tory leader on the London Assembly.
Two Conservative MPs, Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless, have recently defected to UKIP.Two Conservative MPs, Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless, have recently defected to UKIP.
Mr Johnson has said any Tories thinking of defecting to UKIP must be "utterly nuts". Speaking at a rally at the Conservative conference in Birmingham, he urged the "great Conservative family" to unite.Mr Johnson has said any Tories thinking of defecting to UKIP must be "utterly nuts". Speaking at a rally at the Conservative conference in Birmingham, he urged the "great Conservative family" to unite.
'Detachment' 'Ordinary people'
Earlier this year Mr Barnes, who lost his seat in Ealing and Hillingdon to Labour in 2012, stood as an independent candidate in council elections in the London Borough of Hillingdon, finishing behind both the Conservatives and UKIP.Earlier this year Mr Barnes, who lost his seat in Ealing and Hillingdon to Labour in 2012, stood as an independent candidate in council elections in the London Borough of Hillingdon, finishing behind both the Conservatives and UKIP.
He told the Standard there was a "detachment" between "ordinary people's lives" and the "Westminster village". He chaired a London Assembly inquiry into the London bombings of 7 July, 2005.
He said: "The parties just don't seem to relate and talk the language of normal people." He described the HS2 scheme as a "white elephant that will have virtually no impact on the vast majority of train users", adding: "UKIP talks to, listens to and speaks for the ordinary men and women of this country in a way that the other parties just cannot grasp.
"On issues such as education, taxation, immigration and of course the European Union it is UKIP that is speaking for the majority."
Mr Barnes also told the Evening Standard Prime Minister David Cameron's plans to renegotiate with Europe were "unrealistic".
UKIP leader Nigel Farage said: "It is great to have Richard along, both as a man of great political experience, but also for his depth of knowledge of counter terrorism."
If the Conservatives win the next election, Mr Cameron has said he will renegotiate the UK's relationship with the EU before holding a referendum on its membership in 2017.If the Conservatives win the next election, Mr Cameron has said he will renegotiate the UK's relationship with the EU before holding a referendum on its membership in 2017.
The prime minister told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the "overwhelming majority of people in the Conservative Party" believed a Tory government was the only way to get an EU referendum.The prime minister told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the "overwhelming majority of people in the Conservative Party" believed a Tory government was the only way to get an EU referendum.
Mr Carswell and Mr Reckless have both triggered by-elections in their seats.Mr Carswell and Mr Reckless have both triggered by-elections in their seats.