UKIP: Stuart Wheeler's speech at the UKIP Spring Rally

Here is the text of Stuart Wheeler's (the spread betting millionaire thrown out of the Conservative Party for donating to UKIP) speech to the UKIP Spring Rally. Today in the Great Hall at Exeter University. Photos are available from PA. Mr. Wheeler was given a standing ovation as he came on to speak and again as he finished.

I suspect there are many here today just like me – Conservative at heart but feeling let down over Europe. I know I am not alone in this awkward position; when I decided to donate money to UKIP, many people got in touch and expressed their support for my actions – and almost all of them were die hard Tories.

And what was the straw that broke the camel's back – that turned us from our natural party? Two words: Ken and Clarke. But it is two words of another Tory politician that I want to examine this morning: William and Hague.

Last Saturday, the Daily Telegraph carried an interview with William Hague.

Nothing, nothing could have illustrated better why I shall vote UKIP in the Euro-elections. There was in his interview no commitment to anything.

Let's look at it. If there is a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty will Ken Clarke vote against it? William Hague says that he expects, expects, mark you, that he will. What kind of language is that? Why doesn't William Hague know how Clarke will vote? Did he and David Cameron not ask him that simple question before they appointed him to the shadow cabinet?

Ken Clarke himself was quite specific on the subject as a backbencher “Calls for a referendum were absurd”.

Take another point.

The Conservatives should make it absolutely clear that, if elected, they will immediately call a referendum on Lisbon. But what do we find?

William Hague indicates that the Conservatives are likely to attempt to scrap the Treaty – possibly by calling a retrospective referendum. Heavens above! The Pope has indicated that he is likely to possibly be a Catholic!

The Tories want to sound tough without making the slightest commitment. The leadership is terrified that a tough stance will split the party. But who will be on the Europhile side of the split?

Just two big beasts, Clarke and Heseltine, and one or two smaller beasts. The party has shown quite rightly that it is not afraid of big donors, by expelling me. It should not be afraid of big beasts either.

By the way it is only the leadership that is so timid. A back bencher Tory MP came up to me and begged me to go on doing what I was doing. “80% of our MPs are behind you”, he said.

The polls are perfectly clear about the voters as well. They were recently asked by the pollsters, YouGov, which of ten things they would most like to see done. Top – reduce immigration: second – reduce the powers of the EU and increase the powers of Britain's Parliament. Way down below – reduce taxes, deal with climate change, scrap id cards etc...

Just listen to the voters, David and William, they do care about Europe, a lot.

People have asked me, since my donation, why I did not stay within the Conservative party and use, as they put it, my influence. At one time I did have some sort of influence. I might almost say I was subject to a charm offensive Would I like to have lunch with shadow minister X?

Would I pop in for a discussion with shadow minister Y? Would I like to see William Hague to discuss Europe? The reason of course was to make me unlikely to say something awkward for the Conservatives or, god forbid, to support UKIP.

I cannot resist one final point about William Hague's interview. He asks for a protest vote in the Euro elections. Well, which party would a protest vote be for?

Obviously not the party easily leading in the polls, the Tories – that could not be a protest vote. It can only mean voting UKIP! I look forward to him joining me in expulsion from the Party!

Thank you.

Go On...Give Us a Punt...You've Got Nothing to Loose!

Liberal Democrat leader tells his party conference that it will be a long, slow climb out of recession but his party offers hope for the future. Nick Clegg laid the blame for Britain's economic crisis and political malaise squarely at the door of both Labour and the Conservatives, in his keynote speech to the party spring conference in Harrogate:

"A never-ending cycle of red-blue, blue-red government has got us into this mess - it is never going to get us out."

He said now was the time to try something new:

"Now is the time to think big. If you want better, choose different. Choose the Liberal Democrats."

Nick made a stinging attack on the Labour Government for having let people down:

"Labour is like a spent match. There's nothing left. You remember how hopeful people felt in 1997? Remember the promise of a better future? Don't you feel the disappointment? An economy in tatters. A country more unequal than before. An illegal war, our government implicated in torture and rendition. Our environment poisoned. Our privacy invaded, our freedom curtailed. If you believe, like I do, in progress. If you feel let down by Labour, and see that the Conservatives will never be a party of change. Turn to the Liberal Democrats. We carry the torch of progress now."

Much of the speech was devoted to the state of the economy and what the Liberal Democrats would do to turn things round:

"At least 3 million unemployed by the end of the year. That's devastating. Let me be clear. We will do everything possible to help. Everything to protect jobs, keeping viable businesses going. Everything to make sure being made redundant does not mean you lose everything. And everything to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, to get people back out to work as soon as possible."

Nick told conference that the government has borrowed twelve and a half billion pounds to finance this year's VAT giveaway:

"That money alone could have created nearly 100,000 new jobs. And laid the foundations, quite literally, for a new green economy."

Nick said the party should be proud of their progressive policies and enduring liberal values:

"Let us say it loud and clear. We are the only party who will put money into people's pockets with fair tax cuts. The only party to offer universal childcare and smaller classes in our primary schools. The only party who would use Gordon Brown's wasted billions to create thousands of jobs today by investing in homes, hospitals, schools and public transport to build the green economy of tomorrow. The only party that will rebuild the jobs, homes and hopes this recession has destroyed."