Defector

UKIP have an MP! A disenchanted Tory, perhaps unsurprisingly. My observation of UKIP is that there are quite a few within their ranks who are simply disenchanted Tories.* Often, they are at the more extreme end of the Tory spectrum, and some UKIP members probably border on the racist. Spink, however, could never have that charge levelled at him.

During the 2005 general election campaign he was accused of whipping up racial tension for running a newspaper advert on immigration, headlined: "What bit of 'send them back' don't you understand Mr Blair?"

Oh, well, scratch that. “Send them back” may mean he has joined the wrong party. Maybe the BNP didn’t return his phone call.

Still, he maybe a borderline racist, but his reasoning about the current state of British politics seems valid to me:

“I think that politics is becoming increasingly dishonourable at Westminster and I am delighted to be joining a strong UKIP team so that we can get some meat on these domestic policies."

Nothing wrong with noting that politics at Westminster has become dishonourable, and nothing wrong with wanting to get some meat on domestic policy. Whether defecting to UKIP is the best way of doing that remains to be seen.

*Although by no means all. There are some very sound people in that party, but I think they struggle to get their voices heard amongst the more shrill ex-Tories.