BY ERIC KING
A conservative MP is planning to defect from the leave campaign group, according to senior sources.
Sarah Wollaston plans to announce tomorrow that she will be switching sides and arguing the case for staying in the E.U. The general practitioner has been motivated to turn her back on her fellow leave campaigners over claims that a Brexit will benefit the NHS, because she believes this to be false.
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Her defection is a big blow to Brexit campaigners, and will be most welcome by David Cameron’s and his ‘Remain’ crew.
She has been accused of “lacking credibility” by switching sides so close to the June 23 E.U referendum.
However, the conservative’s last minute last minute defection is a sign of honesty and conviction, and further questions the extent to which many supporters n both sides are actually sure of the basis of their stance.
The question that remains is, how many more out there will switch at the last moment? Even more, how many supporters of either side are actually convinced of the position they are taking in this historical vote?
On Wednesday night, the Prime Minister welcomed the “powerful intervention” by the doctor whom he said decided to switch camps over fears about Brexit’s impact on the NHS and the economy.
So far, there have been no defections from the Remain camp, though there is no telling if there are any more surprises to come.
It should be noted that just because a Brexit may not benefit the NHS, is not on its own enough reason to defect and change sides completely.
The issue of leaving or remaining in the E.U should have much broader considerations than just the NHS, important as it is.
Most importantly, it must be assumed that for the Conservative MP to defect at the last moment, she must have given it a lot more thought, or even been persuaded by other considerations which she has chosen not to state.
The E.U referendum, to be held on June 23, will be the biggest political decision taken by the British public in the history of the country.
Pic By Conservative Party
