Mellor quits party over IDS
Former Tory minister, David Mellor, announced in an interview over the weekend that he is no longer a member of the Conservative Party, having not renewed his subscription.
In an interview on the Breakfast with Frost programme, the former scandal-prone MP claimed that poor leadership of the party was to blame for his decision, saying that Iain Duncan Smith was ‘sub Blairite’.
He adds his voices to others that have publicly criticised the Tory party, but whose sway many believe has been reduced by the party’s recent election victories.
A successful media career combining his passions of politics and Chelsea football club has kept Mr Mellor in the public eye since he lost his seat at the 1997 election.
He took the interview as an opportunity to suggest that his former colleague William Hague was a better leader, and described him as exceptional, while saying that Mr Duncan Smith has no ‘personal distinction’.
And in a blast about future prospects, he worried publicly that much of Labour’s disaffected vote had slipped to the Liberal Democrats rather than the official opposition.
William Hague however, has backed the new leadership, and argues that they are moving in the right direction. He also said he had enjoyed his time as leader but that he had no intention of returning to the role.
The revelation is expected to be ignored by the party leadership, who are attempting to build a momentum, and are focusing on their policy announcements for the Annual Conference.
Some have also suggested that the interview will lead to further claims of BBC bias, a dossier on which is compiled by the Tory Party.
