Conservative Euro-MP joins Liberal Democrats

10.26.00am GMT Mon 15th Mar 2010

Edward McMillan-Scott

The former leader of the Conservative MEPs has announced his decision to upgrade to the Liberal Democrats.

Edward McMillan-Scott, the Vice-President of the European Parliament with responsibility for human rights and democracy, was welcomed to the Liberal Democrats by Nick Clegg.

The MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire said: "I have been around the higher circles of the Conservative Party for long enough to fear that on Europe Cameron says one thing in opposition and will do another in Government.

"I have long fought against totalitarianism and the extremism and religious persecution it brings. It was wrong of Cameron to associate with MEPs who have extremist pasts in his new European alliance.

"My reasons for joining the Liberal Democrats are that in Nick Clegg they have a leader whom I like, admire and respect. They are internationalists, not nationalists. They are committed to politics based the values of fairness and change.

"From being a liberal Conservative I become a conservative Liberal. Most of my family are liberals: I am pleased to join the Liberal family."

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said:

"I am delighted to welcome Edward McMillan-Scott to the Liberal Democrats.

"For many years he has fought for human rights and democracy world wide and he is rightly a respected politician across Europe.

"As someone of principle he has refused to cosy up to right wing extremists, despite pressure from the Tory machine.

"This flies in the face of David Cameron's claims of change. It shows that people of principle, who believe in fairness and want real change for Britain are at home in the Liberal Democrats."

Edward identified his reasons for the switch from the party he had served for 43 years as being mainly to do with the Conservatives' alliance with far-right parties in the European Parliament, their campaign of vilification against himself for standing out against anti-semitism and prejudice in those parties, and the inconsistent position of the Conservatives on European matters.

Comment - There are now very few Conservatives left in the party who have sane views on Europe, and the re-integration of UKIP with the Tories is only a matter of time.