Tory MP Conor Burns: I’m not defecting to UKIP
Conservative MP Conor Burns says he’s not defecting to UKIP, despite a “good chat” with Nigel Farage.
The gay Tory MP had a cordial conservation with the UKIP leader, who was in Parliament yesterday to see Douglas Carswell take up his seat on the green opposition benches.
Mr Carswell last week became UKIP’s first elected MP, following the Clacton by-election.
The vote was triggered last month by the defection of Mr Carswell from the Conservatives to UKIP.
Just had good chat with Nigel Farage after @DouglasCarswell took his seat in the House of Commons
— Conor Burns MP (@Conor_BurnsMP) October 13, 2014
Mr Burns, MP for Bournemouth West, then tweeted that he had no intentions of ditching the Tories.
Calm down people. A chat with another politician doesn’t equal defection. I joined Conservative Party at 14 and will spend my life in it. — Conor Burns MP (@Conor_BurnsMP) October 13, 2014
Mr Carswell voted against same-sex marriage last year, describing the law as “arrogant”.
Mark Reckless, the second Tory MP to defect to UKIP, voted in favour of same-sex marriage.
He is contesting his Kent seat of Rochester and Strood in a by-election.
It will take place on 20 November, the BBC reports.
Despite previously expressing reservations due to his Catholic faith, Mr Burns voted in favour of same-sex marriage.
A close friend of the late Lady Thatcher, Mr Burns told PinkNews last year that the former prime minister “did not have a problem with gay people” – despite her support for Section 28.
Section 28 stated that a local authority “shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality” and that schools “could not promote of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship”.
It was repealed in Scotland in 2000, and three years later in England and Wales.
