Free Republic

A former chairwoman of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee says she has left the party to support UKIP at the general election. Harriet Yeo, a councillor in Kent, said she had become "disillusioned" with Labour's stance on Europe. She said she only trusted UKIP to offer a choice on the UK's membership of the EU. But she will not join the party. Labour said it was united on Europe and than an EU exit would "cost British jobs and influence". Ms. Yeo claimed the majority of Labour's shadow cabinet wanted a referendum on the EU, but "are being told to...

One of Labour's most senior figures has resigned from the party and will be supporting Ukip because of Ed Miliband's failure to offer a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union. Harriet Yeo, who was chairman of Labour's ruling body between 2012 and 2013, is so disillusioned with Mr Miliband's refusal to offer a vote that she will be throwing her support behind Nigel Farage's party. She represents the most senior Labour figure to switch allegiances to Ukip to date, although there are suggestions that several Labour MPs are considering defecting.