Tory Party Conference: Ukip’s shadow lengthens as high-profile Tories Richard Barnes and William Cash Jnr are latest to jump ship
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Version 0 of 1. The shadow cast by Ukip over the Conservative conference lengthened today after first Boris Johnson’s former right-hand man and then the son of a Eurosceptic Tory MP became the latest prominent recruits to Nigel Farage’s party. And rumours of a high-profile defection tomorrow, timed to coincide with David Cameron’s keynote speech to activists, swept senior party ranks in Birmingham. Two MPs, Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless, have already jumped ship, forcing other right-wing backbenchers who support leaving the European Union to pledge their loyalty to Mr Cameron. Mr Johnson suffered acute embarrassment as Richard Barnes, London’s Deputy Mayor between 2008 and 2012, announced he was leaving for Ukip because he supported it on the EU, immigration, the HS2 rail link and the future of Heathrow airport. He said: “There seems to be a detachment from ordinary people’s lives in the Westminster Village. The parties just don’t seem to relate and talk the language of normal people.” Mr Barnes claimed Mr Cameron’s plan to renegotiate an EU deal was “unrealistic” and accused ministers of failing to get to grips with Britain’s “massively porous” borders. Hours later, Ukip announced that William Cash Jnr, son of Eurosceptic Tory MP Bill Cash, had also joined them. He was appointed heritage spokesman and is being lined up to stand in next year’s general election. Mr Cash said: “I have been a passionate advocate of Britain’s successful heritage business, but believe that it, and the countryside, have been badly let down.” Mr Cameron is expected to devote a pivotal section of his speech to a warning that voting Ukip could let Labour into power. In private, he has made no secret of his disdain for Mr Reckless who announced his departure on the eve of conference. The PM reportedly told activists that if Mr Reckless “got off his fat arse and worked harder he wouldn’t have to defect to Ukip to save his skin”. Today, he dismissed Mr Barnes’s defection as “rather senseless” and argued: “If you want an in-out referendum when it comes to Europe, the only way you can get it is by getting a Conservative government with me as Prime Minister.” On the defection of his former deputy, Mr Johnson said he had “let the side down a bit”. He said: “I make the same point to him that I would make to all Ukippers and potential Ukippers – I think it’s nuts to think of deserting the Tories now.” Tory divisions over Europe were highlighted after the former Cabinet minister, John Redwood, warned companies not to speak out against leaving the EU. He said: “It would be extremely foolish and we must make sure they have to pay a very dear economic and financial price were they to try that ill-judged thing.” Pro-EU colleagues were astonished by the remark. Ex-Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt, tweeted: “Finally the J Redwood mask slips away with his threat to business which disagrees with him.” Later, Mr Redwood said there had been “garbled” reporting of his remarks, but added that companies would keep shareholders, employees and customers happy by keeping out of an EU referendum. |