Tories Expel Wheeler Over UKIP Donation Posted on March 29th
Millionaire Tory donor Stuart Wheeler has been dramatically expelled from the Conservative after giving £100,000 to the rival UK Independence Party.
Mr Wheeler learned of his expulsion from journalists
Mr Wheeler’s expulsion was confirmed in a terse, one-line statement by a party spokesman who said: “Stuart Wheeler has been expelled from the Conservative Party”.
The spread betting tycoon had earlier said he was making the donation to UKIP after becoming disillusioned with Tory leader David Cameron over Europe.
But while he intended to vote for UKIP in the European parliamentary elections in June, he said he would continue to back the Conservatives in the general and local council elections.
The decision to expel Mr Wheeler is expected to be formally confirmed later this week at a meeting of the Conservative board convened by party chairman Eric Pickles.
It is understood that the decision had the full backing of Mr Cameron. Senior Tories are believed to have concluded that it was untenable for him to remain a member while supporting another party.
Mr Wheeler said he was disappointed at the decision but will continue to vote for the Conservatives in the next set of local elections.
Cameron is said to back the decision
However, he made clear there would be no further donations to the party coffers.
“Having been expelled, I think I would find it difficult to help them financially,” he said.
The loss of his donations is likely to be a heavy blow for the party as it approaches a general election which will almost certainly be held in the spring of next year.
In 2000, he made a record donation of £5m to the party.
Mr Wheeler, an arch eurosceptic, said he had received no notification from the party and had only learned of his expulsion from journalists.
He said before announcing his decision to make a donation to UKIP he had been urged by friends to try to “work from within” to change the party but had concluded it was not possible with the current leadership.
“I think the leadership very much makes up its mind without regard to others, other than a few people at the very top,” he said.
“I think that more than half the shadow cabinet are more euroscpetic than the leadership and would favour a tougher line on Europe.”