Ex-Tory to fight his old seat for UKIP
Tuesday, 16 March 2010
Published Date: 15 March 2010
A former Tory MP is to stand in Shropshire against the party in a bid to win his old seat for the UK Independence Party, it has been announced.
Christopher Gill, one of the eurosceptic rebels stripped of the party whip by embattled prime minister John Major, will be a candidate in Ludlow.
The move will cause concern for the Conservatives in a marginal seat where sitting MP Philip Dunne enjoys a slim majority of only 2,027.
It is a key target for the Liberal Democrats, who dramatically snatched the seat when Mr Gill stepped down in 2001 before seeing it narrowly swing back in 2005.
Ukip secured only 783 votes there in the last general election but Mr Gill predicted his personal intervention would make it a "close call" three-way fight this time.
"I am standing against 'call me Dave's' Tories because I cannot tolerate their utter contempt for the concerns of voters on matters of immigration, economy, individual liberty and the broken promise of a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty," Mr Gill said.
"The huge increase in the Tories' spin has been mirrored by the shocking decrease in their spine," he said - claiming the backing of "many" former party colleagues in the area.
He went on: "I have the advantage that, apart from millions of pounds, no one can tell the difference between Conservatives and the Liberals and, with Labour standing no chance here, I can really win this seat for Ukip and for the people of Ludlow."
Liberal Democrat candidate Heather Kidd welcomed Mr Gill's decision, which she said would split the Conservative vote.
"I have been out on the doorsteps and this move by Gill has already had a massive impact," she said. "It is causing a big shift in our direction."
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