Britain’s Cameron Suffers Blow As Lawmaker Defects To Anti-Eu Party

[Purveyor]

Source: Globe and Mail

LONDON — Reuters
Published Thursday, Aug. 28 2014, 8:59 PM EDT
Last updated Thursday, Aug. 28 2014, 9:07 PM EDT

British Prime Minister David Cameron suffered a setback on Thursday when one of his Conservative lawmakers unexpectedly defected to the anti-EU U.K. Independence Party (UKIP), saying he doubted Mr. Cameron’s desire to reform the European Union.

The defection of Douglas Carswell comes eight months before a national election in which UKIP threatens Mr. Cameron’s re-election chances. UKIP, which wants Britain to leave the EU, won May’s European elections in Britain after taking votes from the Conservatives.

Mr. Carswell, 43, said he was standing down as a Conservative member of parliament with immediate effect because he had lost faith in Mr. Cameron’s promises to try to renegotiate Britain’s EU ties if he wins power again next year.
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“David Cameron has made up his mind. He wants to stay in,” Mr. Carswell told a news conference. “It’s all about positioning for the election. If I believed they were sincere about real change, I wouldn’t be here. I don’t believe that they’re serious.”


Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/britains-cameron-suffers-blow-as-lawmaker-defects-to-anti-eu-party/article20266240/

[rpannier]

1. It hurts him a bit that he bolted

What really hurts is that they're having a snap election for his seat where he runs on the UKIP banner
If he wins (and it looks likely he will), he will be an incumbent for the party rather than an incumbent who bolted his party late and is running under another banner

He can claim that he did the honorable thing: couldn't stand Cameron, gave his constituents the chance to decide if they were with him or the party

[mwooldri]

3. Carswell decided to stand down.

He could have chose to sit as UKIP until the general... but he's calling his own referendum. I think if Labor work their butts off, they could get the seat... even if the Cons put up a Eurosceptic. The Lib Dems would probably lose their deposit, as disaffected voters will go to the Tories or Labour - and not ukip.

[T_i_B]

4. Disagree about Labour's chances

Labour have been in decline in that area since they lost the old Harwich seat in 2005. They still have pockets of support in Clacton constituency, but mostly it's the sort of affluent elderly seat where right wing parties tend to do very well. Carswell won a majority of about 12,000 last time around and the people I know in that area speak well of him as a constituency MP. Therefore I would say that it's between the Tories and UKIP. Labour should finish 3rd and as you say, the Lib Dems look set to lose their deposit again.

[T_i_B]

2. Thread from the UK forum

Some useful info on here about Carswell and Clacton.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10886498