Tory rebel Bob Spink becomes Ukip's first MP
The UK Independence Party will today announce it has gained its first member of Parliament after a former Conservative MP agreed to join the party just nine days before the local elections. Bob Spink, the MP for Castle Point in Essex, said he was "increasingly disappointed" with the Conservative Party, which expelled him last month. The defection is being heralded as a coup by Ukip. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Mr Spink said last night: "I am delighted to join the Ukip team, helping to fight for Britain's interests in Europe and for better policy on the issues that really matter to people. "I have been increasingly disappointed with the Tory Party's failure to be honest with the public on a wide range of issues like pensions, crime, immigration and defence. "Dishonesty over the EU constitution is the Tories' grea-*test*-('") failure. "They heap criticism on other parties, but refuse to remove the constitution if they ever get power. "The public see this as opportunistic and hypocritical, but sadly, it is typical of Westminster politics. "It is little wonder the public hold politicians in such contempt." snip http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/22/nukip122.xml

I don't remember why he was kicked out of the Conservative Party, but the unfortunate fact for UKIP is that he didn't jump; he was pushed. I don't see that UKIP can make a reasonable claim to their "first MP" until they get someone elected.

Yes of course. We all know the constitutional position is that - notionally - it is the man, not his party, that is elected by his constituents. But I suppose it does no harm to be reminded. But whatever the constitutional notion, we all also know that in the eyes of the electors it is the party - and its Prime Minister - that they are electing. That is why I still say UKIP cannot make any claims that stick until they get an MP elected to the House of Commons on their party ticket. The claim remains somewhat hollow until that happens - if it ever does.

When I vote in a Parliamentary election I vote for the party I would like to see in government. If I voted for a Tory MP who then crossed to another party, I'd feel cheated. In local elections I vote for the best individual. Any MP 'crossing the floor' should have to put himself up for re-election. Imagine a major plot to rig an election by planting candidates who would cross to the other party once elected. The party with the original majority could find themselves suddenly out of office. It's an unlikely scenerio, but I wonder if it's possible.

No! The UK can't be independent! It must always remain a colony of the good old US of A! :wink: