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| Tories reject UKIP by-election phone call claims | Tories reject UKIP by-election phone call claims |
| (1 day later) | |
| The Conservative Party has denied it is behind "negative" phone calls about UKIP's candidate in the Rochester and Strood by-election, Mark Reckless. | The Conservative Party has denied it is behind "negative" phone calls about UKIP's candidate in the Rochester and Strood by-election, Mark Reckless. |
| Mr Reckless, who defected from the Conservatives, said someone claiming to be from a polling company had called him - and that he suspected it had been "commissioned" by his old party. | Mr Reckless, who defected from the Conservatives, said someone claiming to be from a polling company had called him - and that he suspected it had been "commissioned" by his old party. |
| Conservative chairman Grant Shapps said this was "absolutely not" the case and challenged UKIP to provide evidence. | Conservative chairman Grant Shapps said this was "absolutely not" the case and challenged UKIP to provide evidence. |
| The by-election is on 20 November. | The by-election is on 20 November. |
| Mr Reckless told the BBC's Sunday Politics programme: "There are actually phone calls being made and I received one myself from a lady called Lucinda calling from what they claimed to be an independent company, but I suspect it was commissioned by the Conservatives." | Mr Reckless told the BBC's Sunday Politics programme: "There are actually phone calls being made and I received one myself from a lady called Lucinda calling from what they claimed to be an independent company, but I suspect it was commissioned by the Conservatives." |
| According to Mr Reckless, the callers "insinuate one or two negative thoughts in people's minds about me". | According to Mr Reckless, the callers "insinuate one or two negative thoughts in people's minds about me". |
| UKIP leader Nigel Farage told the programme the Conservatives were "resorting already to very low grade tactics... phone calls being made calling Mark all sorts of things". | UKIP leader Nigel Farage told the programme the Conservatives were "resorting already to very low grade tactics... phone calls being made calling Mark all sorts of things". |
| Asked whether the Conservatives were involved, Mr Shapps told the programme: "Absolutely not and furthermore we've said to Mr Reckless, if you've got any evidence of this please hand it over. | Asked whether the Conservatives were involved, Mr Shapps told the programme: "Absolutely not and furthermore we've said to Mr Reckless, if you've got any evidence of this please hand it over. |
| "But there is none at all." | "But there is none at all." |
| Mr Shapps also responded to UKIP calls for the cost of running an "open primary" vote to choose their candidate to be deducted from the £100,000 parties are allowed to spend on their campaign. | Mr Shapps also responded to UKIP calls for the cost of running an "open primary" vote to choose their candidate to be deducted from the £100,000 parties are allowed to spend on their campaign. |
| Electoral rules say the spending limit applies after a candidate is confirmed. | Electoral rules say the spending limit applies after a candidate is confirmed. |
| The Tories previously dismissed UKIP's comments as a "media stunt". | The Tories previously dismissed UKIP's comments as a "media stunt". |
| Mr Shapps said: "You can only fire off an election expense once you have a candidate in place." | Mr Shapps said: "You can only fire off an election expense once you have a candidate in place." |
| He added: "It's absolutely straightforward, there is no dispute about it." | He added: "It's absolutely straightforward, there is no dispute about it." |
| The full list of candidates announced so far, in alphabetical order by surname, is: | The full list of candidates announced so far, in alphabetical order by surname, is: |
| Gregory, Clive - Green Party | Gregory, Clive - Green Party |
| Fransen, Jayda - Britain First | Fransen, Jayda - Britain First |
| Juby, Geoff - Liberal Democrats | Juby, Geoff - Liberal Democrats |
| Khan, Naushabah - Labour | Khan, Naushabah - Labour |
| Reckless, Mark - UK Independence Party | Reckless, Mark - UK Independence Party |
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