Sir, If, as Mr John R. Gregory states (letter, May 10), the Labour majority could have been reduced to less than 20 if it were not for the intervention of the UKIP, then perhaps it will have the desired effect on the Conservative Party and encourage it to tell us what it will do when its proposals to negotiate the return of some of our sovereignty fail, as they undoubtedly will.

If the Tories will confirm that they would then offer us, through a referendum, a choice of staying in the EU or leaving, I believe that most UKIP supporters would return to the Conservative fold.

Yours faithfully,
RONALD SCOTT,
Sparrows,
Lanhill, Chippenham SN14 6LX.
ronaldscott@btopenworld.com
May 10.

From Mr Ken Bennett

Sir, Mr Gregory’s assertion that UKIP voters cost the Conservatives 24 seats is based on the Tory-fuelled supposition that the UKIP takes most of its votes from the Conservative Party. This is a dangerous assumption.

In the weeks before the general election I received many calls from lifetime Labour supporters who advised that they would be voting for the UKIP; thus it can equally be claimed that the UKIP helped the Tories in many areas by taking votes from people who would have voted for Labour once again, if they had not had a UKIP candidate to support.

Yours faithfully,
KEN BENNETT,
(Treasurer),
UKIP South Essex,
6 Royal Close,
Rochford, Essex SS4 3AZ.
kenthecash@kenbennett.co.uk
May 10.

From Mr Robert Jones

Sir, Far more interesting than Mr Gregory’s slightly selective take on the UKIP effect is the feeble slap of the Lib Dem effect. Here on the Isle of Wight, the UKIP candidate scored a respectable vote, higher than that obtained in most constituencies. This did nothing to dent the massive Tory majority in this once Liberal seat.

This election was supposed to provide the Lib Dems with their greatest opportunity in modern times but it seems to me that they have failed to live up to their pre-election rhetoric, and their irrelevance is now exposed. Who, post-election, is talking about Charles Kennedy? Who is interested in any shuffling of positions which may take place in his team?

Yours faithfully,
ROBERT JONES,
4 Reeth Lodge,
Castlehaven Lane, Niton Undercliff,
Ventnor, Isle of Wight PO38 2NB.
robertjones@ratville.freeserve.co.uk
May 10.

From Mr Malcolm Read

Sir, I hope that Charles Kennedy will also send his thanks to the UKIP.

By my count, seven seats may well have been won by Lib Dems only due to the intervention of UKIP, and this is the party dedicated, we are told, to reducing the influence of Europe into this country’s affairs.

Yours faithfully,
M. R. READ,
103 The Borough,
Downton,
Wiltshire SP5 3LX.
malcolmread@wanadoo.co.uk
May 10.

From Mrs Julia Williamson

Sir, To carry Mr Gregory’s argument to its logical conclusion, if the Conservative Party had not contested the general election, the UKIP could now be Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition and Britain would be well on its way to leaving the corrupt, undemocratic EU and becoming an independent sovereign nation once more, with its own laws, its own justice system, its own border controls and its own food production.

I trust that Michael Howard will apologise.

Yours faithfully,
JULIA WILLIAMSON,
52 Yealm Road,
Newton Ferrers, Plymouth PL8 1BQ.
juliaswilliamson@aol.com
May 10.

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