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Tory co-chairman Lord Feldman denies 'swivel-eyed loon slur' | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Conservative Party co-chairman Lord Feldman has denied calling grassroots activists "mad, swivel-eyed loons". | |
He is taking legal advice over internet rumours that he was responsible for remarks reported in the press, he said. | |
Members have reacted angrily to claims a figure close to the PM used the term in blaming the grassroots for pressing MPs to amend the Queen's Speech. | |
More than 100 voted to express "regret" at the lack of an EU referendum bill. Downing Street has refused to comment. | |
The comments were allegedly made at a private dinner by someone with "strong social connections" to the prime minister, The Times, Mirror and Daily Telegraph newspapers reported. | The comments were allegedly made at a private dinner by someone with "strong social connections" to the prime minister, The Times, Mirror and Daily Telegraph newspapers reported. |
"There's really no problem," the unnamed person is reported to have said, referring to the Conservatives who voted to amend the Queen's Speech over Europe. | "There's really no problem," the unnamed person is reported to have said, referring to the Conservatives who voted to amend the Queen's Speech over Europe. |
"The MPs just have to do it because the associations tell them to, and the associations are all mad swivel-eyed loons." | "The MPs just have to do it because the associations tell them to, and the associations are all mad swivel-eyed loons." |
Conservative associations are the constituency campaign groups made up of local party members. | Conservative associations are the constituency campaign groups made up of local party members. |
In a statement, Lord Feldman, a friend of David Cameron's from Oxford University, said: "There is speculation on the internet and on Twitter that the senior Conservative Party figure claimed to have made derogatory comments by the Times and the Telegraph is me. | |
"This is completely untrue. I would like to make it quite clear that I did not, nor have ever described our associations in this way or in any similar manner. I am taking legal advice." | |
Bob Woollard, chair of umbrella group Conservative Grassroots, told the BBC it was "absolute madness to criticise your own troops". | Bob Woollard, chair of umbrella group Conservative Grassroots, told the BBC it was "absolute madness to criticise your own troops". |
"These comments are so arrogant and pompous as to be unbelievable," he said, adding that Mr Cameron should publicly distance himself from them. | "These comments are so arrogant and pompous as to be unbelievable," he said, adding that Mr Cameron should publicly distance himself from them. |
Mr Woollard, the former chair of Wycombe Conservative Association, said he had "a lot of sympathy with what Nigel Farage said when UKIP were criticised similarly". | Mr Woollard, the former chair of Wycombe Conservative Association, said he had "a lot of sympathy with what Nigel Farage said when UKIP were criticised similarly". |
In 2006, Mr Cameron described the UK Independence Party as "sort of a bunch of... fruit cakes and loonies and closet racists mostly". | In 2006, Mr Cameron described the UK Independence Party as "sort of a bunch of... fruit cakes and loonies and closet racists mostly". |
Reacting to the latest reports, Mr Farage tweeted: "If you are a Conservative supporter who believes in UKIP ideas then your party hates you. Come and join us." | |
Mr Cameron has said he wants the UK to stay in the EU but wants to change Britain's relationship with it, taking back some powers from Brussels. | |
However, 116 Conservative backbenchers supported this week's amendment to the Queen's Speech expressing regret over the lack of firm plans for a referendum. Although the motion was defeated, opponents called it a blow to the prime minister's authority. | |
'Self-indulgence' | |
In the wake of the vote, Mr Cameron then said his party would give full support to a private member's bill from Eurosceptic backbencher James Wharton outlining the terms of a referendum to be held by 2017. | |
The bill is likely to be opposed by Labour and the Liberal Democrats, who have accused their Tory coalition partners of "self-indulgence" and say the row could deter businesses from investing in the UK. | |
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live on Saturday morning, Mr Wharton described the comments as the result of a "lapse of judgement", saying they were "offensive and foolish". | |
"It's such a shallow and inaccurate assessment of what's going on," he said, adding that it did not reflect the reasons behind MPs' decisions to back the amendment. | |
Several Conservative MPs have spoken out in praise of constituency activists. Among them was Neil Carmichael, who told 5 live the reported comments "may well have been taken completely out of context". | |
Another Tory MP Tracey Crouch tweeted: "I wonder if this 'aide' has ever been a member of an association, delivered a single leaflet, packed an envelope or knocked on a door?" |