Andrew Shrimpton: disillusioned with Labour

Labour Activist Defects in Uxbridge

The defection was brushed aside by the Prime Minister as he visited the constituency to boost the campaign of the Labour candidate Andy Slaughter.

The defector, Michael Shrimpton, a Labour Party member since 1981, failed to be chosen to fight the Uxbridge by-election caused by the death of the Conservative MP, Sir Michael Shersby, who died just a week afer the General Election.

Mr Shrimpton, who stood as a Labour candidate in Horsham in 1987 and for West Sussex in the European elections in 1989 said he was so "disillusioned" with Labour that he was joining the Conservatives.

His defection was partly provoked by anger among Labour activists in Uxbridge at the failure of David Williams, Labour's candidate at the General Election, to make the shortlist for the by-election.

Mr Williams reduced a 12, 000 Conservative majority in the seat to just 724 votes on May 1, but Labour's by-election panel regarded him as unsuitable.

Around 30 party activists loyal to Mr Williams are said to be refusing to campaign for Mr Slaughter. Mr Shrimpton said: "I never expected myself to be selected. I'd always assumed that David Williams would get it. The fact that he wasn't even shortlisted astonished me."

Sour Grapes

Commenting on Mr Shrimpton's defection a Labour spokesman said: "Just six weeks ago, Michael Shrimpton was desperate to be a Labour MP. Now he has announced he is leaving the Labour Party. His decision has nothing to do with principle. It's just a simple case of sour grapes."

Another party source said that Mr Shrimpton's claim to have wanted Mr Williams to be selected "didn't hold water", as Mr Shrimpton was on the right of the party, and Mr Williams on the left.

Labour also dismissed a claim by local Labour councillor Peter James that at least 30 local Labour activists were refusing to work for the by-election campaign, in protest at the rejection of Mr Williams as a candidate.

Peter James: angry at Labour's failure to select the local man

The Conservative Party Chairman Lord Parkinson, who visited Uxbridge this morning to welcome Mr Shrimpton to the Conservative Party, claimed: "Labour are riding roughshod over the people of Uxbridge.

"They've had an inner London councillor imposed upon them who knows nothing about the area, despite their clear wish to have a local man stand for Labour in the by-election."

John Randall, the Conservative candidate, who is a local man, said: "Mr Blair now has no choice but to explain to the people of Uxbridge why he ignored the views of a local Labour branch and instead imposed on us a candidate who has no connection with the area whatsoever."

The former Defence Secretary, Michael Portillo, who lost his seat at the General Election, was also in Uxbridge to lend his support to the Conservative campaign.

There are 11 candidates in the by-election.