Paul Keetch Welcomes Ex-conservative Mep Defector

12.00.00am GMT Wed 21st Nov 2001

Hereford's Liberal Democrat MP Paul Keetch has tonight welcomed the news that Midlands Conservative MEP Bill Newton Dunn, a former chairman of the Conservative group in the European Parliament and an MEP since 1979, has joined the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Keetch said it was one more nail in the coffin of William Hague's Conservative Party. Mr Newton Dunn, 59, who is vice-chairman of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, said that he had made his decision in the light of the Tory party's 'hard swing to the right'.

Mr Newton Dunn said: "On Europe, William Hague's Conservative party has overturned 40 years of constructive engagement. Conservative influence on the continent is now probably at the lowest level since the Napoleonic wars. At home, William Hague's party has an intolerant and dogmatic belief in tax cuts at any price. The Tories have failed to add that they could not deliver these tax cuts without corresponding cuts in health, education and transport. My own beliefs have not changed greatly. I still stand for One Nation. But my beliefs are now more in tune with the programme the Liberal Democrats have set out."

Paul Keetch MP said: "I am delighted that someone of Bill Newton Dunn's experience and stature has joined the Liberal Democrats. As William Hague takes his party further and further to the right, on and off every passing bandwagon, the liberal democrats continue to offer a real home to people with moderate one nation values."

Bill Newton Dunn has been an MEP since 1979 and has represented East Midlands since 1999 and Lincolnshire 1979-1994. He is the seventh Conservative MP or MEP to join the Liberal Democrats over the past four years. His predecessors include Emma Nicholson MP (1996), Peter Thurnham MP (1996), James Moorhouse MEP (1998), Hugh Dykes, former Tory MP (1998) (lost in 1997 General Election), Keith Rafffan MEP (1998) Peter Price, former Tory MEP (1998). He is currently the Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy.