Tory donor hits out at Cameron
By politics.co.uk staff
A major Tory donor who was expelled from the party for giving money to Ukip has hit out at David Cameron.
Stuart Wheeler was a major factor in recent Conservative history, playing a leading role in getting rid of Iain Duncan Smith as party leader.
But his decision, as a Eurosceptic, to donate £100,000 saw him thrown out the party.
This morning he told the BBC: “Their [Ukip’s] position is far nearer to what I would like to happen than anybody else’s.
“I do want the Conservatives, if they are in power, to try very hard to get the European Union to accept a much looser relationship and to put us back into a position more or less where we were when we first joined – a wonderful trading relationship but not much else.
“I think they should try to do that, but more than likely they will fail and then we would have to get out.”
His comment drew a terse response from Mr Cameron who told BBC radio that donors did not set policy and could not donate to other parties.
“So we had to say goodbye to him and his money,” he said.
Nigel Farage, Ukip leader, said: “I’m thrilled that Stuart Wheeler has decided to support our vital campaign. The decision of who rules Britain is vastly more important than any traditional tribal loyalty.”
Mr Wheeler has been suspended while the party organises to officially expel him at a board meeting with party chairman Eric Pickles.
