Top Local Tory Defects to Lib Dems

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Deputy chair of Ealing Southall Conservatives upset over candidate selection

Senior Conservative party member Brij Mohan Gupta has defected to the Lib Dems over the selection of their new parliamentary candidate.

Last week the Conservatives chose Sunrise Radio Managing Director, Tony Lit, to fight the Ealing Southall by-election, triggered by the death of Labour MP Piara Khabra.

Today the deputy chair of Ealing Southall Conservatives announced his defection to the Lib Dems, claiming Mr Lit was imposed on the local party by Tory spin doctors.

Mr Gupta, who is also vice chair of Southall Green and Southall Broadway Conservative ward parties, announced he will instead campaign for the Lib Dem candidate Nigel Bakhai.

Chair of the Liberal Democrat's campaign committee, Edward Davey welcomed his decision. He said: "Senior Conservative party members across Ealing Southall are extremely unhappy with the way David Cameron runs the Tory Party. People want their political leaders to have clear principles and policies, but under Mr Cameron even once loyal party members say the Conservatives seem prepared to say anything to win votes."

Mr Gupta said he completely agreed with Mr Davies and said Mr Cameron had turned the Conservatives into a party of style over substance.

He said: "This by-election reflects Mr Cameron’s contempt for local Conservative members. His spin doctors ignored our wishes and forced the branch to accept someone whose commitment to the party is less than a week old. Almost all local Conservative party members feel like I do."

Local Tories are defending the choice however, saying Lit has enjoyed links with the local area for more than a decade.

Anita Kapoor, chairman of Ealing Southall Conservatives, said she was disappointed by Mr Gupta's decision but knew the party had a fantastic candidate in Mr Lit.

A party spokesman played down Mr Gupta's

defection to the Lib Dems when talking to a political website, implying it was motivated by his failure to be selected as the local Tory candidate.

"Mr Gupta was kind enough to put forward his CV for consideration to become MP for Ealing Southall. Obviously only one person can be selected from a large list," he said.

"It's a shame Mr Gupta, having not been selected, then decided to leave the party."

July 4, 2007