Earlier this month, an analysis of Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Andrew Turner’s voting on Europe suggested he was in the top 20 Conservatives most likely to switch to UKIP.
After first asking the question 22 days ago, Andrew Turner’s office have finally provided a response to questions over whether he would remain as Conservative parliamentary candidate for the Isle of Wight in the 2015 General Election or whether he was considering jumping ship to UKIP.
The difficulty in obtaining a response from Andrew Turner on these questions adds to the worrying trend of his growing reluctance to answer legitimate press enquiries.
During the three weeks it took for him to respond, Islanders told OnTheWight they felt insulted at Mr Turner’s failure to reassure them of his plans.
Turner: “A Eurosceptic all my adult life”
At the beginning of the month, OnTheWight asked,
- Can Andrew give an absolute assurance to IW voters that he will remain within the Conservative party?
- … Not switch to UKIP?
- … Not run as an independent candidate?
This morning, Andrew Turner told OnTheWight,
“I have always been quite open about my views on the EU. I have been a Eurosceptic all my adult life – and certainly since I voted No in 1975 in the referendum on our entry into the Common Market. I agree with the views of some who have voted UKIP in the past and may do in the future – however I will not be joining them. I will be standing as a Conservative in the General Election next year.
“Along with other Eurosceptic MPs, I have worked hard to move the Conservative leadership towards the view of the majority of Conservative Party members. We are finally winning that battle and are now the only main party that promises an in/out referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. I will campaign for a No vote in that referendum and continue working in the Conservative Party to ensure that the views of members, and the broader Island’s views, are reflected in the House of Commons.”
Image: Screen grab from parliamentlive.tv coverage of 13 October 2014 debate
