Lord Tebbit calls for ‘sleaze boycott’ of all main parties

Lord Tebbit today called for voters to exact their revenge for expenses sleaze by boycotting the three main parties in the European elections on June 4. Although he was careful not to spell it out, Tebbit's remarks will be seen as an open invitation to Tory Eurosceptics to vote for UKIP.

David Cameron, the Tory leader, will be furious that a former chairman of the Conservative Party, who as plain Norman Tebbit was an iconic member of Margaret Thatcher's government, should recommend voters not to support the Tory party.

The Mole understands that Tebbit made it clear in a segment that was cut from his interview with the BBC Radio Today show that he was not advocating voting for the ultra-right BNP.

However, senior Conservatives are seriously worried that the anger over MPs' expenses will lead to many disgruntled Tories and Labour supporters voting for the BNP in the European elections, possibly giving them their first seat.

Speaking on Today, Tebbit said: "What I am advising people is to show our major parties it is the electors who are the masters and that the electors are extremely upset with their employees in the House of Commons. I have said don't vote for the major parties."

Accusing the main party leaders of 'getting away' from their traditional supporters, he added: "The leaders of the major parties would be reminded that the electors can quite easily show their displeasure. On this occasion I hope they will show it in that way. At a General Election I am quite sure I shall be advising people to vote Conservative in the same way I am suggesting people in the local government elections they should vote as they normally do."

Major Tory donor Stuart Wheeler was expelled from the party for supporting UKIP and Tebbit knew he could face the same fate if he openly advocated a vote for UKIP. ·