New Tory leader

13.9.01

"One Nation Conservatives have a new home in the Liberal Democrats"

Following the announcement of the result in the Conservative Party leadership contest, local Lib Dem MP Edward Davey has called on 'One Nation' Conservatives living in Kingston & Surbiton to join the Liberal Democrats.

Edward Davey believes that many decent Conservatives will feel alienated by the election of the extreme right wing candidate, Iain Duncan Smith, as leader of the Conservative Party and will either leave politics altogether or seek to join the Lib Dems.

Commenting on the outcome of the Conservative leadership results, Edward Davey MP said,

"With Iain Duncan Smith at the helm, the Conservative Party has shifted even further to the right of British politics."

"While the Conservative Party has torn itself apart over the leadership, the Liberal Democrats have been proving ourselves to be the only effective opposition to the Labour Government. Liberal Democrats are credible in opposing this Government because we have set out honest and constructive alternatives to Labour's policies."

He added,

"Personality driven politics has already seen the local Conservative Association tear it self apart. Splits in the Conservative administration running Kingston Council have reduced it to an ineffectual stump. Local services and residents are the ones that have suffered at the hands of Conservative in fighting.

"With the Conservatives split so bitterly at local and national level, Liberal Democrats will seek to prove to people that we have the policies, the values and the unity to provide efficient, effective Government."