The Hero
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- Jun 29, 2008
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I'm quitting the Tories for UKIP, says ex-treasurer Lord Hesketh after he loses faith in the party
A former Tory treasurer has defected from the Conservatives to the UK Independence Party over David Camerons handling of Europe.
Lord Hesketh says he lost faith in the party after the Prime Minister reneged on his promise to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, the former Conservative fundraiser said he would now devote his efforts to drumming up funds for UKIP.
Before the general election, Mr Cameron gave a cast iron pledge to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
However the treaty was ratified before he came to power and he said there would be no point having a poll at that point.
But Lord Hesketh, who first canvassed for the party in 1959 and was a minister under Margaret Thatcher, said last night: I was appalled when we reneged on the referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
It didnt matter that Brown had signed it. Labour had said there would be a referendum. And Cameron could have said the treaty had not been properly dealt with, and therefore he would have been justified in holding one.
He added: I believed until we went back on the commitment to the referendum that he would have a good hand to play, and could tell the rest of Europe we had to sit down and talk about the future.
Lord Heskeths intervention is likely to fuel euroscepticism in Tory ranks, which recently led to the creation of a 120-strong group of MPs to lobby for Britain to renegotiate its relationship with Brussels.
It comes after London Mayor Boris Johnson said he too thinks Mr Cameron should have held a referendum on Lisbon and that he would support a referendum on Britains membership of the EU.
Leaving the party: Lord Hesketh with Lady Thatcher at Towcester Races in 1992
Lord Hesketh also expressed frustration about the way the Tory party has had its hands tied by being in coalition with the Liberal Democrats.
Some ministers have done magnificently. Michael Gove for me has been an absolute star, he said.
Theyve got some good people, but theyre in a coalition. Every department has a LibDem in it chipping away at what the Tories are trying to achieve.
Lord Hesketh: 'I think David Cameron is good, but surrounded by a terrible team in his private office'
The peer said he was attracted to UKIP because it seems to stand for so much that the Tory party used to.
Ive come to the view that the Conservative Party has changed, he said.
If you start to say that the big idea is the Big Society, but that the Big Society isnt going to have a vote on all the things that it cares most about, then its a wasted exercise.
I think David Cameron is good, but surrounded by a terrible team in his private office.
Tory strategists fear a revived UKIP will cost the Conservatives seats at the next election perhaps denying Mr Cameron an overall parliamentary majority again.
Lord Hesketh said he will be active, declaring: Im certainly not going to join UKIP just to pay my subscription.
Lord Hesketh made his name running the Hesketh Racing Formula One team in the 1970s, putting world champion James Hunt on the path to success.
He served for three years as John Majors chief whip in the House of Lords and was Tory party treasurer between 2003 and 2005 under the leadership of Michael Howard.
He worked closely with businessman Stuart Wheeler who has also switched to UKIP, becoming party treasurer.
The Tory party then expelled him. I suppose now theyll expel me, Lord Hesketh said.
Asked if he would ever go back to the Tories, he said: You cant cross the bridge and turn round. Ill never go back.
A former Tory treasurer has defected from the Conservatives to the UK Independence Party over David Camerons handling of Europe.
Lord Hesketh says he lost faith in the party after the Prime Minister reneged on his promise to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, the former Conservative fundraiser said he would now devote his efforts to drumming up funds for UKIP.
Before the general election, Mr Cameron gave a cast iron pledge to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
However the treaty was ratified before he came to power and he said there would be no point having a poll at that point.
But Lord Hesketh, who first canvassed for the party in 1959 and was a minister under Margaret Thatcher, said last night: I was appalled when we reneged on the referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
It didnt matter that Brown had signed it. Labour had said there would be a referendum. And Cameron could have said the treaty had not been properly dealt with, and therefore he would have been justified in holding one.
He added: I believed until we went back on the commitment to the referendum that he would have a good hand to play, and could tell the rest of Europe we had to sit down and talk about the future.
Lord Heskeths intervention is likely to fuel euroscepticism in Tory ranks, which recently led to the creation of a 120-strong group of MPs to lobby for Britain to renegotiate its relationship with Brussels.
It comes after London Mayor Boris Johnson said he too thinks Mr Cameron should have held a referendum on Lisbon and that he would support a referendum on Britains membership of the EU.
Leaving the party: Lord Hesketh with Lady Thatcher at Towcester Races in 1992
Lord Hesketh also expressed frustration about the way the Tory party has had its hands tied by being in coalition with the Liberal Democrats.
Some ministers have done magnificently. Michael Gove for me has been an absolute star, he said.
Theyve got some good people, but theyre in a coalition. Every department has a LibDem in it chipping away at what the Tories are trying to achieve.
Lord Hesketh: 'I think David Cameron is good, but surrounded by a terrible team in his private office'
The peer said he was attracted to UKIP because it seems to stand for so much that the Tory party used to.
Ive come to the view that the Conservative Party has changed, he said.
If you start to say that the big idea is the Big Society, but that the Big Society isnt going to have a vote on all the things that it cares most about, then its a wasted exercise.
I think David Cameron is good, but surrounded by a terrible team in his private office.
Tory strategists fear a revived UKIP will cost the Conservatives seats at the next election perhaps denying Mr Cameron an overall parliamentary majority again.
Lord Hesketh said he will be active, declaring: Im certainly not going to join UKIP just to pay my subscription.
Lord Hesketh made his name running the Hesketh Racing Formula One team in the 1970s, putting world champion James Hunt on the path to success.
He served for three years as John Majors chief whip in the House of Lords and was Tory party treasurer between 2003 and 2005 under the leadership of Michael Howard.
He worked closely with businessman Stuart Wheeler who has also switched to UKIP, becoming party treasurer.
The Tory party then expelled him. I suppose now theyll expel me, Lord Hesketh said.
Asked if he would ever go back to the Tories, he said: You cant cross the bridge and turn round. Ill never go back.