Early today Douglas Carswell defected to UKIP based on their track records Breitbart London now assesses which Conservative MPs might be next.
Adam Afriyie
The MP for Windsor has long dreamed of leading the Conservative Party but has been ostracized by the current leadership. He is a well known right-winger and was selected in his plum Berkshire seat because of his Euro-sceptic credentials. Afriyie made a pile of money in business so is no careerist, but is fundamentally a party loyalist and is unlikely to jump.
Chance of Defecting: 3/10
David Amess
Right-winger David Amess is perhaps best known for being hoodwinked into appearing on the Brass-Eye spoof documentary about a fictitious drug called cake. Despite the jokes he remains one of the longest standing Euro-sceptics on the Conservative bench. He certainly agrees with UKIP on many issues, and is strongly anti-abortion but may have been a Conservative MP for too long to defect.
Chance of Defecting: 5/10
Brian Binley
Despite being 72-years-old Binley has only been MP for Northampton South since 2005. He is well known for having spoken up at against the then Conservative chairman over her treatment of Roger Helmer MEP. Helmer eventually defected to UKIP but Binley remained with the Tories, but for how long?
Chance of Defecting: 7/10
Peter Bone
Wellingborough’s MP is rumoured to have once said of himself that he is “too old to hope for any extended career on the Conservative front-bench”. Despite the self-deprecation he has still managed to anger the careerists and there were rumours they wanted to get him de-selected. Bone has been a firm supporter of the right of the party and has fought for backbench MPs. UKIP would be keen to get him.
Chance of Defecting: 7/10
Bill Cash
Cash was a Euro-sceptic when most of the Conservative right were still in short trousers. He is generally considered to have led the Conservative rebellion over the pro-European Maastricht Treaty, which the Conservative government pushed through in the 1990’s. Whilst he was described by Ken Clarke as “the most Euro-sceptic MP” he also has a giant ego and hates Nigel Farage.
Chance of Defecting: 2/10
David Davies
Volunteer copper Davies is probably Parliament’s most fun right-winger, Davies has been MP for Monmouth in Wales since 2005. He is well known for his unpolitically correct comments and has been totally marginalised by David Cameron’s leadership. Despite the obvious connection between Davies and UKIP he is from a country that rarely elects right-wingers, any defection would probably end his career.
Chance of Defecting: 6/10
Phillip Davies
Once described by Peter Hitchens as a “genuinely conservative” MP the MP for Shipley has long been an open advocate for the Conservative right. He is known as an honest and open politician who states his views plainly. Davies has publicly stated that the minimum wage should be scrapped and was instrumental in the founding of the Better Off Out Campaign.
Chance of Defecting: 6/10
Phillip Hollobone
Hollobone has to be UKIP’s number one target in Parliament. It is hard to see were he disagrees with Nigel Farage. He would fit in with UKIP members as he is always willing to speak his mind, on one occasion he poured scorn on Muslim women wearing burkas saying there were “going round wearing a paper bag”.
Chance of Defecting: 9/10
Sir Gerald Howarth
Former minister Sir Gerald Howarth is the chairman of the Thatcherite Conservative Way Forward (CWF) group. Despite being from the right of the party CWF pride themselves on being a pressure group firmly grounded inside the party. Anyone from CWF who has not defected yet probably will not.
Chance of Defecting: 4/10
Stewart Jackson
Jackson founded the right-wing Conservative Voice group with Nadine Dorres MP. He was made Parliamentary Private Secretary to Owen Patterson after the 2010 election but resigned after he voted against the government on Europe. He is known to advocate forcing the Conservative Party to the right rather than leaving it.
Chance of Defecting: 5/10
Chris Kelly
Kelly’s run-ins with the Conservative leadership over a number of issues are already the stuff of Westminster legend. He was once rumoured to have had such a stormy meeting with the Prime Minister that he cried at the end. UKIP believe he will lose Dudley South unless he defects, whereas the Conservatives believe he is doomed is he does. Rock, hard place.
Chance of Defecting: 9/10
David Nuttall
Another right-winger that UKIP are desperate to grab, and Nuttall would certainly feel at home with Farage’s party. He rose through the ranks of the Conservatives without ever pretending to be a left-wing loyalist. Whether he likes it or not he will be getting a call from Carswell in the next few days.
Chance of Defecting: 9/10
Mark Reckless
Probably the man in Parliament that fought the biggest opposition from party bigwigs to get into Parliament. In the end Reckless had to threaten legal action to be allowed to run in Rochester and Strood, which he won in 2010. He is not really welcome with the Conservative leadership despite his obvious intellect, UKIP would be much more of a natural home.
Chance of Defecting: 7/10
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