UKIP offer to disband in favour of Conservative referendum pledge
The Times carries an ‘exclusive’ that The UK Independence Party offered to disband if David Cameron agreed to hold a referendum on the ratified Lisbon treaty.
UKIP’s new leader, Lord Pearson of Rannoch, told The Times that he offered the deal soon after today the party’s strong showing in the European elections.
He reveals that he approached Lord Strathclyde, the Tory leader in the Lords, six months ago and asked him to tell Mr Cameron that if he guaranteed a referendum and gave the Conservative Party a free vote then UKIP would disband and its members stand down. He received no answer. Several months later Mr Cameron announced that the Tories would not hold a referendum.
Lord Pearson adds: “A referendum on a ratified Lisbon Treaty would have become about in or out, which is why the political class wouldn’t do it.”
Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage confirmed that the meeting took place, although he argued that the offer was to withdraw the party from the general election rather than to disband totally. Lord Strathclyde has also confirmed that the meeting took place.
After he was announced as the new party leader, Lord Pearson said: “My ambition is for UKIP to do well enough at the next general election so that we can force a hung parliament and a realignment in British politics.” It is believed that UKIP hope that a strong performance could cost the Conservatives up to 50 seats.
On the face of it, this might seem to be a gift to the Conservatives. The entire Euro-sceptic electorate to aim at, leading to huge majorities, both in individual constituenies and the Commons. So why not have that ‘in or out’ debate? Not Lisbon, but the whole thing? Many Liberal Democrats have said that they would be in favour of such a debate and would campaign vigorously to stay in. A positive campaign would do so much to improve the status and understanding of European issues in the UK.
But of course the Conservatives cannot agree to such a vote. They would be hopelessly split and those divisions would be viciously laid bare for all to see – not the best start for any incoming Conservative government. David Cameron has said that he would not want to withdraw the UK from the EU, but he would find more than half his new parliamentary party pulling in the opposite direction, tearing apart the new administration before it had a chance to get started. At the moment, the Conservatives can take all the benefits of being members of the EU, whilst pretending to find the whole thing rather distasteful. Forced into making a choice, some who have been keen to present a Euro-sceptic facade may find it crumbling away.
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