The Electronic Telegraph25 April 1995 HOME NEWS

Major restores party whip to Euro-rebels in unity bid

By George Jones, Political Editor

A ninth whipless MP, Sir Richard Body, who resigned in protest at the treatment of his eight Euro-sceptic colleagues, has also been invited to rejoin the party fold.

The decision to restore the whip unilaterally without extracting assurances of future good behaviour represented a climbdown by Mr Major in the face of growing Right-wing anger at the continued exclusion of the rebels.

Senior Tory MPs are understood to have warned the Prime Minister of the growing threat of a leadership challenge after next week's elections if he perpetuated the split within the party.

The eight who have regained the whip are: Sir Teddy Taylor (Southend E), Teresa Gorman (Billericay), Tony Marlow (Northampton N), John Wilkinson (Ruislip Northwood), Nicholas Budgen (Wolverhampton SW), Christopher Gill (Ludlow), Richard Shepherd (Aldridge Brownhills) and Michael Carttiss (Great Yarmouth).

Letter sent after an inconclusive meeting of the rebels at Westminster yesterday

The letter said: "I am writing to confirm that, as from today, the Whip has been restored to you, and I am pleased to enclose this week's copy.

"If you do not wish to receive the Whip in future, then you should let me have your formal resignation of it in writing."

The letter was sent after an inconclusive meeting of the rebels at Westminster yesterday. Some were anxious to regain the whip, but hard-liners said they were prepared to remain outside the party, possibly standing as independent Tory Euro-sceptics at the next general election.

They were outmanoeuvred by Mr Major's pre-emptive strike, which came as he and senior colleagues held an all-day strategy meeting at Chequers. Any of the eight who reject the olive branch will now have to resign formally the whip, opening themselves up to the risk of being blamed for continuing party divisions on Europe.

The indications last night were that all eight, as well as Sir Richard, MP for Holland and Boston, would agree to accept the whip putting the Government back into an overall majority in the Commons.

The whip was withdrawn at the end of November when the rebels refused to support a Government Bill to increase Britain's contributions to the EU, despite being warned that it was a vote of confidence.

Their expulsion was widely seen as a self-inflicted wound

Their expulsion was widely seen within the Conservative Party as a self-inflicted wound. It put Mr Major's beleaguered Government into a minority in the Commons and raised fears that the party could split over Europe. The Government's position in the Commons was further weakened last week by the suspension of the two "cash for questions" Tory MPs.

Mr Major initially took a hard-line, insisting that the rebels must show consistent support for the Government in the Commons. Earlier this month, he blamed the Tory rout in the Scottish local government elections on the disunity in the party.

Although some rebels, such as Mr Budgen, have backed the Government in most votes, the voting record of others has been patchy.

Hard-line rebels, including Mrs Gorman and Mr Gill, have argued that they were more in tune with popular opinion in the country and the Tory Party, and should stay out until there was more evidence that the Government was adopting Euro-sceptic policies.

They had also made it clear they would only return if the whip was offered to all. A Government source said they would now be "expected to vote with the Government like everyone else".

John Prescott, Labour's deputy leader, said it was a 'pathetic retreat'

A key bridge builder has been Michael Spicer, a former minister and leading Euro-sceptic. Last week, he said he was "appalled" that the whipless MPs had not being brought back in.

The approach of the local elections on May 4 may have been the deciding factor. Tory MPs have reported a collapse in morale and voiced fears that the party could lose 2,000 councillors.

The restoration of the whip will give a boost to party workers in the final stages of the campaign. It will also help the Tories to present a more united front.

Jeremy Hanley, party chairman, said that Mr Major had acted "decisively" to re-unite the party. No conditions were attached to the restoration of the whip, and he hoped all Tories would now concentrate on the "proper foe - Labour".

The move was generally welcomed by Tory MPs last night. Sir Marcus Fox, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers, said on Channel 4 News it was "long overdue".

Opposition politicians were scornful. John Prescott, Labour's deputy leader, said it was a "pathetic retreat" by a Prime Minister who had caved in to a group who held him in contempt.

29 March Major has no thought of quitting

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