Tories 'doomed' if they woo Ukip

The Tories are 'doomed to permanent opposition' unless they stop pandering to their rightwing core vote, a leading frontbencher forced out in Michael Howard's reshuffle warns today.

Green's resignation, along with that of John Bercow, the other prominent Tory moderniser squeezed out in the reshuffle, and shadow culture spokeswoman Julie Kirkbride, marks the exit of the last pro-European from Michael Howard's team.

The reshuffle was widely interpreted as a reaction to the threat from Ukip, which did serious damage to the Tories during the local elections and is threatening to push them into fourth place in the Hartlepool by-election next month.

Both John Redwood, who made a surprise return to the shadow cabinet, and John Whittingdale, promoted back to shadow culture secretary, are confirmed Eurosceptics with long experience of fighting Ukip.

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