John Baron MP: PM needs to take UKIP threat seriously

MP says Number 10 should respond to 100 MPs’ letter

Ahead of the local elections on Thursday, John Baron MP today urged the Prime Minister not to write UKIP off as a protest party, but to address head on the reasons it was attracting support. This comes after John delivered a letter to Number 10 on 2^nd April, signed by over 100 Conservative backbenchers, urging the Prime Minister to bring forward the enabling legislation into this Parliament for the EU referendum in the next – at present, the PM has promised legislation only if the Conservatives win the next general election. John has also said Number 10 should by now have responded to the letter.

John said:

“We need to accept that UKIP is not simply a protest party. Some of its membership have genuine concerns about the EU which we need to address. We also need to recognise the extent of public mistrust when people hear politicians making promises about the EU – too many have been broken in the past.”

“The PM’s commitment to the referendum has to be both credible and believable. It is credible because it has an ‘out’ option. But it is not yet believable. The PM should therefore bring forward the legislation into this Parliament. Opposition splits would see it through but, whether successful or not, people would know he was serious. Why, then, bother voting UKIP?”

“The PM should also recognise the strength of feeling amongst his backbenchers and respond to our letter. I have been promised that a meeting will be organised but still there is no news or contact. This suggests either indecision or indifference. Neither are welcome.”