Tuesday, 30th September 2008

In a decision that shocked the 500 delegates packed into a fringe venue at the Tory conference in Birmingham, the two leading Conservative Eurosceptic MEPs, Dan Hannan from the South East and Roger Helmer from the East Midlands, both failed to turn up to debate the European Union.

The event, which also featured UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage MEP and Telegraph columnist Simon Heffer, was hosted by the think tank The Bruges Group and had been extensively and expensively trailed before the conference.
 
"They were nobbled by Tory high command," said one of the organisers. It is believed that the two Tories were threatened with deselection from their respective Euro lists if they appeared on the platform with Mr Farage.
 
The UKIP leader said: "Last year even the LibDems were prepared to debate with me. This year we just see the Tories being, in the words of Margaret Thatcher, 'frit'."

Mr Farage went on: "The Tories are frightened of debate, frightened of the EU and this proves they are frightened of the UK Independence Party.
 
"The fact that the two most prominent Eurosceptics in the party have been muzzled in this way just goes to show that come next year's European Parliament elections there is only one show in town and that is UKIP."

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