PETER THURNHAM, MP Bolton North-east, tells the BEN excusively why he switched to the Liberal Democrats THE three Party Conferences set the tone of the General Election, now only months away.

They convinced me that I can no longer with a clear conscience remain on the Conservative benches in the House of Commons, so I have now joined Paddy Ashdown's Liberal Democrats in their campaign for a better Britain.

Some months ago, I decided to resign the Conservative Whip.

I did so because I was appalled by the Government's failure to deal, firstly, with the sleaze that is rife in the Conservative Party and, secondly, by the unacceptable conduct that was exposed in the Scott report on Arms to Iraq.

The Conservative Party, it seemed to me, had lost touch with its people and its purpose. As someone with a background in business myself, I could not stand by while Government ministers were prepared to allow Customs and Excise to prosecute innocent and brave businessmen. Nor did I support the Government's pathetic and unsuccessful attempt to water down the Nolan report and hide the payments and earnings of MPs, under pressure from the Conservative benches.

In a MORI opinion poll earlier this year, two thirds of my constituents agreed that I should leave the Conservative Party. Since then, things have got no better - they have got worse.

The renewed allegations of misconduct by Conservative members of Parliament in the run-up to the Party conference confirm that rottenness is deep rooted in the party. It has now reached far into Parliament and poisons British politics.

But, even worse to me, is the Prime Minister's complacent and ineffective approach to this catalogue of accusations. The Prime Minister has many virtues. But he is not a firm leader and he has allowed his party to fall away from the high standards that should be its guiding star.

Whenever he is given a choice, he takes the easy option. Instead of launching a full and open inquiry into allegations of sleaze, he attempts to have them buried by a House of Commons Committee.

Instead of giving firm leadership over Europe, the Prime Minister weakens British interests in compromises designed to hide the divisions in his own party.

Instead of putting resources where they are needed - in long-term investment to improve education - he dangles irresponsible tax cuts before the voters in the run-up to an election, even while the national debt has doubled under his premiership.

Factions in today's Conservative Party make it no longer the one nation party I joined many years ago. It is moving away from the instincts of decency and honour that served it well. It is so divided over so many key issues facing our country that it no longer represents Britain's best interests. In seeking to appease everyone, it only serves to please no one and further widen the divisions.

One anguished Conservative MP crossed the floor of the House to join Labour, but I see Labour in action in local government in the North West - and I do not like what I see. I know from the House of Commons that there will be many Labour MPs after the next election who will certainly not share the same priorities as Mr Blair.

The Labour party still does not understand the importance of enterprise and freedom in a dynamic economy. Labour is still not trusted on taxation and inflation. And it ignores the need for politicians to say exactly where they stand, what they will do, and how they will pay for it.

That is why I was so impressed by the Liberal Democrats' conference. Paddy Ashdown's speech gave his party a strong and clear lead. The Liberal Democrats are determined about their priorities, which are now shared by increasing numbers of people. The Liberal Democrats are a listening party. In more and more parts of the country, only the Liberal Democrats are in touch with local people, offering the consistent good government that local communities require. I am convinced that Britain needs the sort of policy priorities that only the Liberal Democrats offer.

I am impressed by their commitment to invest in education, which is the best guarantee of a successful future. Liberal Democrats understand the need for responsible enterprise. Liberal Democrats are now the only party which is clear about the need to clean up the mess in our politics, and end the scandal of sleaze.

For most of our lives, our journey seems to be on a set course; but occasionally, events cause us to reach a personal decision which steer our lives in a new direction. For me, that time has now come.

I will, from now on, be devoting every ounce of my political energies to the cause of the Liberal Democrats.

My profound hope is that, in just a few months, our country will take the opportunity to set the same, new course.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.