MP says son made 'monumental mistake' joining UKIP

Eurosceptic MP Sir Bill Cash says his son has made a 'monumental misjudgment' in joining UKIP.

The MP for Stone was surprised and shocked when his son William, aged 47, was unveiled as the latest high profile new member for Nigel Farage's party.

Although Mr Cash junior has never been a member of the Conservative party, his father has been a Tory MP for 30 years, representing first Stafford and then Stone following a boundary review.

Sir Bill has also been an ardent Eurosceptic, having campaigned against the Maastricht treaty and a regular thorn in the side of his own party.

But he has always remained a loyal Conservative and today appealed to UKIP members, including his son, to support the Tories in delivering a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union.

"My son has made a monumental misjudgment," Sir Bill told the Express & Star. "All that will happen is that Labour and the Liberal Democrats, who do not want a referendum, will benefit.

"I have argued for referendum for years. Now we have a Conservative bill that has been drafted to deliver one.

"You can only have a referendum if Parliament approves it and to do that, we need a majority.

"UKIP cannot do that.

"I'm very disappointed in what my son has done. He was not a member of our party."

The Conservatives have brushed off the decision of Mr Cash to join UKIP

Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire and Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister said: "I can't see what relevance someone who held no position in our party joining another party has."

However, Europe appears not to have been the driving force in Mr Cash junior's decision,

Mr Cash, who lives at Upton Cressett Hall, near Bridgnorth, Shropshire said he had been fighting a 'civil war' for three years against planning policies that were damaging the county, its tourism and its heritage, and added David Cameron's decision to drop North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson as Environment Secretary during the summer had been one of the factors behind his decision.

It comes following the defection to UKIP of Tory MPs Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless.

Mr Farage said: "I am delighted to be welcoming William to the party and am appointing him as our Heritage spokesman. William is already a consultant on National Heritage for the Government and various other organisations.

"He has vast experience in the field and will be a great addition to the team, working closely with Stuart Agnew on Countryside matters and Peter Whittle on Cultural affairs."