So why did you leave?

David Campbell Bannerman is acting quite oddly. he has just launched a pamphlet that,

Another conference, another pamphlet on the future of the European Union and this one is calling very clearly for us to pull right out, right now.

David Campbell Bannerman, who left UKIP to join the Tories five months ago, is arguing that things could be better outside the EU.

"There's a lot of mythology about the EU," he says.

"This is the ultimate Plan B. It's a much bigger picture, that of our entire relationship with the EU."

It's a fascinating time for Eurosceptics, he told a fringe meeting at the Conservative Conference: "I would argue it is good for many countries to escape the prison of the EU."

David, your (new) party leader has made it quite clear that as long as he is around that he will not countenance any thought of an 'in-out' referendum.

Meanwhile you steal the phrases of your (old) party leader to demand it. So why on earth did you jump ship? Surely it couldn't be anything to do with a careerist reason could it?

A tad odd

Yes of course it is a PR stunt, by a former PR man, but this on the Quadrant reportage of the David Bannerman defection just doesn't look right.

For David to writing his application to join the ECR on headed ECR paper just doesn't work, even within the confines of a PR stunt.

Surely it would be more straight, honest and effective if he used his own headed paper, no doubt UKIP branded, to write his application.

There again, I am not at all sure what his signature on a document is worth given his track record.

Always keep a-hold of Nurse

It appears that David Campbell Bannerman has written a self justifying piece for Con Home defending his decision to revert to the Conservative Party. He does not of course address the matter of honour involving his signature guaranteeing that he would stand down as an MEP if he wished to change his party, but as a double rat that would be too much to expect.

What is amazing is that he somehow feels that the current Conservative Party is a vehicle for Britain's exit from thw European Union, something that must have made his reading of Peter Oborne's magisterial piece in yesterday's Telegraph rather uncomfortable reading.

DCB's arguments just do not fly.

He makes the frankly bizarre assertion that the arguments about the EU are near as damn it settled, after all as he says,

Even the pro-EU Tony Blair surprised everyone by announcing a referendum on the EU constitution in 2004 saying that "the weather had changed" and in the Commons: "Let the issues be put. Let the battle be joined!".

And not just Labour,

the Lib Dems, have publicly backed a 'real' In/Out referendum. Whilst they were decisive in opposing a UK referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, Nick Clegg said in 2008 that "it is time to give its first chance in 33 years to decide if it wants to be in or out of the EU... we have been signed up to Europe by default: two generations which have never had their say."

Of course the Tories are to be trusted with their track record on the subject...

But for me the most telling phrase of all in this piece is the following, whilst stating that he has not recoiled from his 'Better Off Out'ness,

My official statement graciously acknowledged this,

Is it up to an individual to announce their own graciousness?