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Conservative MP defects to Labour Conservative MP defects to Labour
(39 minutes later)
Conservative MP Quentin Davies has defected to the Labour Party. Tory MP Quentin Davies has defected to Labour, "delighting" new leader and prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown.
The MP for Grantham and Stamford made his decision public in a letter to Tory leader David Cameron, with whom he has long been at odds. The MP for Grantham and Stamford made his decision public in a letter to Conservative leader David Cameron, with whom he has long been at odds.
He wrote that under Mr Cameron the party "appears to me to have ceased collectively to believe in anything, or to stand for anything". He wrote that the party seemed "to have ceased collectively to believe in anything, or to stand for anything".
Shadow chancellor George Osborne said in 2005 that he disagreed with "almost everything" Mr Davies "has ever said". But Lincolnshire County Council's Tory leader Martin Hill called the defection an "act of treachery and betrayal".
The defection comes the day before Gordon Brown takes over as prime minister from Tony Blair. Mr Davies has long been at odds with the Tory leadership - in 2005, shadow chancellor George Osborne said he and Mr Davies disagreed on "almost everything".
The defection comes the day before Mr Brown takes over as prime minister from Tony Blair.
'No bedrock''No bedrock'
Mr Davies, a pro-European, voted for former chancellor Ken Clarke in the Tory leadership contest which Mr Cameron won in 2005.Mr Davies, a pro-European, voted for former chancellor Ken Clarke in the Tory leadership contest which Mr Cameron won in 2005.
In his letter, he wrote: "Under your leadership the Conservative Party appears to me to have ceased collectively to believe in anything, or to stand for anything.In his letter, he wrote: "Under your leadership the Conservative Party appears to me to have ceased collectively to believe in anything, or to stand for anything.
Although you have many positive qualities you have three, superficiality, unreliability and an apparent lack of any clear convictions, which in my view ought to exclude you from the position of national leadership Quentin Davies to David CameronAlthough you have many positive qualities you have three, superficiality, unreliability and an apparent lack of any clear convictions, which in my view ought to exclude you from the position of national leadership Quentin Davies to David Cameron
"It has no bedrock. It exists on shifting sands. A sense of mission has been replaced by a PR agenda.""It has no bedrock. It exists on shifting sands. A sense of mission has been replaced by a PR agenda."
Mr Davies added: "Believe it or not I have no personal animus against you. Mr Davies added: "Although you have many positive qualities you have three, superficiality, unreliability and an apparent lack of any clear convictions, which in my view ought to exclude you from the position of national leadership to which you aspire and which it is the presumed purpose of the Conservative Party to achieve.
"You have always been perfectly courteous in our dealings. You are intelligent and charming.
"As you know, however, I never supported you for the leadership of the party - even when, after my preferred candidate Ken Clarke had been defeated in the first round, it was blindingly obvious that you were going to win."
'Towering record'
He also wrote: "Although you have many positive qualities you have three, superficiality, unreliability and an apparent lack of any clear convictions, which in my view ought to exclude you from the position of national leadership to which you aspire and which it is the presumed purpose of the Conservative Party to achieve.
"Believing that as I do, I clearly cannot honestly remain in the party. I do not intend to leave public life.""Believing that as I do, I clearly cannot honestly remain in the party. I do not intend to leave public life."
Mr Davies said he had "found increasingly I am naturally in agreement" with the Labour Party and praised Mr Brown as "a leader I have always greatly admired, who I believe is entirely straightforward, and who has a towering record, and a clear vision for the future of our country which I fully share". Mr Davies said he had found himself increasingly "naturally in agreement" with the Labour Party.
He praised Mr Brown as "a leader I have always greatly admired, who I believe is entirely straightforward, and who has a towering record, and a clear vision for the future of our country which I fully share".
Mr Brown said: "Quentin Davies is a senior parliamentarian and he commands respect on all sides for his expertise and his dedication to public service, and I welcome him to the new Labour Party."
'Slap in face'
But Mr Hill said: "I think it's a slap in the face for all of those people who supported and went round for him.
"I feel very strongly, I don't approve of politicians who stand under one flag and then change to another flag for their own convenience. It is an act of treachery and betrayal, frankly."
Last year, Mr Davies called Mr Cameron's decision to vote for an immediate inquiry into the Iraq war "absolutely crazy".Last year, Mr Davies called Mr Cameron's decision to vote for an immediate inquiry into the Iraq war "absolutely crazy".
He also said the party risked looking like "dishonest double-glazing merchants" over plans to withdraw from the European People's Party group in the European Parliament.
The 63-year-old is a former diplomat and has been shadow Northern Ireland secretary and shadow defence secretary. He became an MP in 1987.The 63-year-old is a former diplomat and has been shadow Northern Ireland secretary and shadow defence secretary. He became an MP in 1987.
Labour minister Hazel Blears said: "I welcome Mr Davies to the Labour benches."