F.U. watches with interest as three conservative Peers of the Realm have joined the purple ranks of the UK Independence Party. Whilst being dubious of the broader effect these defections might have on British Conservative Politics, Mr. Urquhart does wonder why this hadn't happened a bit sooner.
On Saturday it was revealed that William Legge, the 10th Earl of Dartmouth has decided to return his membership card, fold away his plumed blue rossette to done a purple one instead. This revelation comes within two weeks of two other peers (although these noble lords retained their seats in the House of Lords, unlike Lord Dartmouth thanks to the House of Lords Act 1999) have ditched Cameron's Tories for Farage's incorrigible Eurosceptic party.
Lords Pearson of Rannoch (pictured) and Willoughby de Broke have cited the party's lack of a "sufficiently Eurosceptic policy" as the final straw in their decision to leap from the Conservatives.
It has long since been UKIP's claim that they are the "only party telling the truth on Europe", and indeed UKIP have been on the political map in a serious way since 2004. So, what, pray tell, has taken these noble lords so long to make that all important leap?
Michael Howard was forced to put a bit of stick about in 2004, after more than a few peers on the Conservative benches suggested a vote for UKIP was advisable, but it would appear that hasn't worked in the long run. Baroness Cox of Queensbury, Lord Stevens of Ludgate, as well as Lords Pearson and Willoughby de Broke all received warm backsides for the offence, whilst Lord Laing of Dunphail quickly ran into the headmasters' office to retract his earlier misdeamonours. We all knew rats at school, and F.U. knew how to deal with them when he was Head of House.
So what broader significance will this have on the Conservative Party, and more accutely, it's line on the EU?
Well, firstly, Lord Dartmouth hasn't solely indicated Cameron's EU stance as a cause for discontent. Recently, Toby Horton, one of Willie Hauge's aides and Constituency Chairman, posted back his Tory membership card saying the "tipping point" was the Tory Party's flirtation with the odious little goblin of The Guardian reading left, Polly Toynbee. Mr Horton (not a peer) said "I didn't leave the Conservative party; the Conservative Party left me."
On Saturday it was revealed that William Legge, the 10th Earl of Dartmouth has decided to return his membership card, fold away his plumed blue rossette to done a purple one instead. This revelation comes within two weeks of two other peers (although these noble lords retained their seats in the House of Lords, unlike Lord Dartmouth thanks to the House of Lords Act 1999) have ditched Cameron's Tories for Farage's incorrigible Eurosceptic party.
Lords Pearson of Rannoch (pictured) and Willoughby de Broke have cited the party's lack of a "sufficiently Eurosceptic policy" as the final straw in their decision to leap from the Conservatives.
It has long since been UKIP's claim that they are the "only party telling the truth on Europe", and indeed UKIP have been on the political map in a serious way since 2004. So, what, pray tell, has taken these noble lords so long to make that all important leap?
Michael Howard was forced to put a bit of stick about in 2004, after more than a few peers on the Conservative benches suggested a vote for UKIP was advisable, but it would appear that hasn't worked in the long run. Baroness Cox of Queensbury, Lord Stevens of Ludgate, as well as Lords Pearson and Willoughby de Broke all received warm backsides for the offence, whilst Lord Laing of Dunphail quickly ran into the headmasters' office to retract his earlier misdeamonours. We all knew rats at school, and F.U. knew how to deal with them when he was Head of House.
So what broader significance will this have on the Conservative Party, and more accutely, it's line on the EU?
Well, firstly, Lord Dartmouth hasn't solely indicated Cameron's EU stance as a cause for discontent. Recently, Toby Horton, one of Willie Hauge's aides and Constituency Chairman, posted back his Tory membership card saying the "tipping point" was the Tory Party's flirtation with the odious little goblin of The Guardian reading left, Polly Toynbee. Mr Horton (not a peer) said "I didn't leave the Conservative party; the Conservative Party left me."
What fickle people grass-roots Tories can be. Yet it often takes a lot of abuse from CCHQ before they will finally cut their ties for good. Fond memories of better days are often used as security blankets, used to weather the storm. But Cameron should be cautious, he can either put some stick about, or he might lose more than three leaping lords, academics, and constituency chairmen.
2 comments:
Does Mr Urquhart know of any other potential peers who are considering the jump? There may even be a few from other benches about to make the unthinkable move.
F.U. would immediately suggest that Lord Stoddart of Swindon, Chairman of the 'Campaign for an Independent Britain', which regrettably seems to be somewhat of a festering irrelevance in the Eurosceptic/Eurorealist community.
Lord Stoddart sits as an 'Independent Labour Peer' having had the whip withdrawn.
Mr Urquhart imagines that Lord Stoddart has little influential clout, and if he were to join UKIP he probably would have done so already. Besides, UKIP's somewhat conservative/Thatcherite/neoliberal outlook might be somewhat at odds with his Lordship's 'socialist' credentials.
His capacity to put some stick about is slightly in question.
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