‘I’m not threatened by UKIP!’ says Tory MP

South West Herts MP David Gauke says that he isn’t threatened by UKIP and that most people in his constituency will view voting for the Eurosceptic party as ‘counterproductive’.

He spoke out after a story was published on this website last week about the defection of Tory MP for Clacton Douglas Carswell to UKIP, sparking a by-election.

placeholder image — David Gauke, MP for South West Herts

Mark Anderson, who will stand in South West Herts next year to become an MP for UKIP, said this was a sign of his party showing real credibility

But current Tory MP for the constituency David Gauke said: “I am disappointed that Douglas has defected to UKIP.

“The point I would make to him and anyone else thinking of voting UKIP is that the only way to deliver a referendum on EU membership is to elect a Conservative government in 2015.

“Voting for anyone else is counterproductive and I think most people in South West Hertfordshire will recognise that.”