This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/7971102.stm
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tory donor is expelled from party | Tory donor is expelled from party |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The Conservative party says it has expelled a multi-millionaire donor who gave £100,000 to UKIP. | The Conservative party says it has expelled a multi-millionaire donor who gave £100,000 to UKIP. |
| Spread-betting tycoon Stuart Wheeler said he was giving the money to UKIP in protest at the Tories' reluctance to talk about the EU. | Spread-betting tycoon Stuart Wheeler said he was giving the money to UKIP in protest at the Tories' reluctance to talk about the EU. |
| Mr Wheeler, an outspoken Euro-sceptic, gave £5m to the Conservatives in 2001. | Mr Wheeler, an outspoken Euro-sceptic, gave £5m to the Conservatives in 2001. |
| He said that he would vote UKIP in European elections in June but that he intended to remain a member of the Conservative party. | He said that he would vote UKIP in European elections in June but that he intended to remain a member of the Conservative party. |
| Mr Wheeler had told the News of the World newspaper that "the European Union is doing so much damage to our economy and our way of life that I can no longer vote Conservative at the European elections". | Mr Wheeler had told the News of the World newspaper that "the European Union is doing so much damage to our economy and our way of life that I can no longer vote Conservative at the European elections". |
| UKIP leader Nigel Farage said he was delighted with Mr Wheeler's donation. | |
| BBC political correspondent Reeta Chakrabarti said the decision to expel Mr Wheeler represented "a quick u-turn in 24 hours" for the Tories - who had previously said there were no plans to expel him. | BBC political correspondent Reeta Chakrabarti said the decision to expel Mr Wheeler represented "a quick u-turn in 24 hours" for the Tories - who had previously said there were no plans to expel him. |
| "They've clearly decided that the prospect of Stuart Wheeler actively funding candidates who are going to stand against Tory candidates in European elections was really too much to stomach," our correspondent added. | "They've clearly decided that the prospect of Stuart Wheeler actively funding candidates who are going to stand against Tory candidates in European elections was really too much to stomach," our correspondent added. |