Cameron angers Tory grassroots:
‘You should join the local Conservatives. You have a lot of views that deserve to be ignored’
DAVID CAMERON’S “contempt” for Eurosceptic grassroots Tories over the EU referendum risks breaking their connection with the party and pushing them into the arms of Ukip, a former association chairman has warned.
The Prime Minister prompted anger from campaigners after he told backbenchers not to back the campaign to leave the EU “because of what your constituency association might say”.
John Strafford, a former association chairman who now runs the Campaign for Conservative Democracy, said the “obvious home for disgruntled Conservatives will be Ukip”. He said: “For a long time Tory party members have supported leaving the European Union and unless Cameron pulls a rabbit out of the hat they are going to vote against him.
“These members who have been Conservatives for most of their lives will have to vote against their party for the first time. But once you start voting against your party you lose your attachment to it and when you lose your attachment you start looking around.”
A member of the Conservative Party’s board said that activists were so angry at Mr Cameron’s comments that they were threatening to refuse to campaign for Tory candidates in the mayoral and local elections in May.
Geoffrey Vero, the former president of Michael Gove’s Surrey Heath constituency association, accused Mr Cameron of being “dismissive” of party grassroots. He said: “I am very disappointed; everybody’s views should be properly listened to. To be so dismissive is not the right way to treat people.
“I am certain that MPs will consult with their associations. It is those associations who have picked those people to represent them.”
Another association chairman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was worried members who were already thinking of leaving may be “pushed over the edge” and move to a party where they can campaign openly to leave Europe.
Andrew Rosindell, the MP for Romford, said: “There are bound to be some people who go to Ukip, as we are all feeling pretty despondent.”