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Rebel threat to Major in Scott vote

Stephen Castle Political Editor
Sunday 18 February 1996 00:02 GMT
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JOHN MAJOR's Commons majority seemed in peril last night as a Conservative MP said he was on the verge of resigning the party whip, partly because of what he had learnt from the Scott Report. Peter Thurnham, MP for Bolton North East, has had contacts with the Liberal Democrats but has reached no agreement with them.

If the MP goes ahead with his threat to abandon the whip - and Tory party managers held out little hope of dissuading him last night - the Government's majority would be down to two. Three other Tory MPs have refused to commit themselves to backing the Government in a vote on the Scott report expected a week tomorrow.

Labour now believes it has a real chance of victory, though much depends on the Ulster Unionists. "Two Tories could be all we need," a senior source said.

Mr Thurnham's move took Cabinet ministers by surprise. The Prime Minister has agreed to meet Mr Thurnham this week to discuss his concerns. Other ministers, including Ian Lang, President of the Board of Trade, offered him talks on Scott.

The Liberal Democrats said there had been "informal contacts but nothing formal".

Mr Thurnham may sit as an Independent Conservative; while he would not cross the floor of the House, he has indicated he could not be relied upon by the Government in a confidence vote.

If he resigned the whip, and voted with Labour, the Government's majority would fall from four to two, and would then almost certainly drop to one after the forthcoming Staffordshire South East by-election.

In a statement, Mr Thurnham said he was "increasingly concerned about falling values and standards of public service in the Conservative party and the performance of the Government". He added that the "Scott Report and the way the Government responded have only added to my dissatisfaction".

Senior Conservatives believe that Mr Thurnham is aggrieved mainly because he has not been selected to fight the safe Westmorland seat at the next election. n An opinion poll in today's Sunday Times shows that 64 per cent of those questioned think Mr Waldegrave should resign, and 62 per cent think Sir Nicholas Lyell should quit.

Further report, page 2

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