Former Tory mayor defects to UKIP

In a surprise move prominent Conservative member, Bob Dhillon, a former mayor of Warwick, has joined UKIP in protest at David Cameron's EU 'project fear' campaign.

Mr Dhillon, who served two terms as Tory councillor for Warwick West, has been involved with the Conservative Party since the age of 12 but now the father-of-three has decided to join the country’s leading Eurosceptic party.

He explained that has become disillusioned with the Prime Minister's ‘project fear’ campaign in the EU referendum.

“David Cameron is wrong, he is not standing up for the British people and the deal he negotiated is not worth the paper it is written on. How can he expect people to vote to remain in the EU with such a lousy deal?” said Mr Dhillon.

“He has lost the confidence of the general public on immigration, HS2, NHS privatisation through the controversial TTIP agreement between the USA and Europe and through destroying rural/urban areas with Conservative housing plans.

Welcoming Mr Dhillon to the party Midlands UKIP MEP James Carver said, ““The credit for the British people finally getting a say on the EU in the referendum is all down to the work UKIP has done over the years.

“For those who oppose our EU membership, such as Bob Dhillon, joining UKIP is a logical decision.”

Mr Dhillon, who was the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Washington & Sunderland West in the 2015 General Election, intends to go through UKIP’s internal process for candidate approval with the view for selection as UKIP’s Warwick & Leamington parliamentary candidate.

Alastair MacBrayne, Warwick & Leamington UKIP branch chairman, who fought the seat in the last General Election for UKIP, said: “Having Bob Dhillon joining us is a great boost for us in the area.

“We are all looking forward to working with him in the years to come, he has already been a great help by joining us on our referendum campaign days by informing people why it is to the benefit of our country to leave the EU”.