This in from Andrew Turner’s office, in their own words. Ed
Following Douglas Carswell’s defection to UKIP last week, Mr Turner said that a number of people have asked him whether, as a well-known Eurosceptic, if he would consider doing the same.
Mr Turner said:
“My views on the EU are similar to those of many UKIP members, but I believe that it is by working within the Conservative Party that we are most likely to achieve our aim of taking Britain out of the EU. Throughout my 13 years representing the Isle of Wight in Parliament I, and other Conservative Eurosceptics, have a track record of vigorously opposing further integration with the EU and fighting to regain British sovereignty. We have achieved much; the official Conservative Party position now is that if we win the election in 2015 we will hold an in/out referendum on our EU membership. Only the Conservative Party could, and will, deliver on that promise, and I have always been clear that I will then campaign for Britain to leave the EU.
“The LibDems have consistently blocked attempts to bring this forward, which is why backbenchers have been key in doing so. In the next Government it is essential that we have a Conservative majority; voting UKIP will simply hand Ed Miliband the keys to Downing Street.
“Only a few weeks ago Douglas was saying that he believed the best way to achieve our shared aims was to fight for a Conservative victory at the next election – he now appears to have changed his mind, as far as I can see, without any particular reason. He is a good man and I consider him a friend, but friends can make mistakes, and in my opinion that is what he’s done. I can assure Islanders that I will remain within the Conservative Party, working to move the leadership and the party ever closer to my point of view.”
