Your publication of my name on your list as a "europhile" is both inaccurate and actually technically libellous. Why on earth have you made this entry when The Times, which you claim as one of your key sources, gave exactly the opposite view before the last election? And when I was one of the candidates who received support from Paul Sykes. I defy you to find any pronouncement by me, either public or private, in favour of joining the euro.

I insist that you change the entry immediately, and that I receive a message of explanation and apology

Chris Grayling

Dear Mr Grayling,

Many thanks for your e-mail of correction dated the 10th October 1999.  I apologise for my lateness of reply, but there has been a problem with receiving e-mails via Demon Internet.  This has now been solved, but I have added my mobile telephone number and personal e-mail address to the Candidlist web page in case there is any recurrence of the problem.

I accept that you have been misclassified as a Europhile, and am very happy to reclassify you as a Sceptic.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Sean Gabb
Candidlist Webmaster

Dear Mr Grayling,

I am currently revising the Candidlist to standardise all entries and definitions.  Accordingly, I shall be grateful to have your comments on the following:

1) If elected or re-elected to Parliament, would you oppose our joining the Eurozone even if joining were to be recommended by the Party leadership? 

2) If elected or re-elected to Parliament and required to choose between accepting the supremacy of European Union law in this country and leaving the European Union, would you vote for British withdrawal?  

Before answering, you may care to look at the General Introduction on our web page.

I look forward to your reply in this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Sean Gabb
Candidlist Webmaster

Dear Dr Gabb

I received your message today about changes to the Candidlist. I have become increasingly unhappy at the way the candidlist is being used and presented - most recently in the news story that appeared in the Daily Telegraph. The placing of this story certainly came at an unhelpful time for the Conservative Party.

Before I decide whether or not I will respond to your questions, I would like to ask you the following:

Are you currently a member of the Conservative Party, and if not, why not?

Is there any truth in the reports that you are either linked with, have had links with, or are associated in any way with the UK Independence Party?

If the candidlist is a genuine attempt to highlight an important issue in British politics, why have you not extended its reach to highlight the real divisions that exist in the other British political parties and to offer electors the chance to assess the positions of all their own representatives
or candidates?

Yours sincerely

Chris Grayling

Dear Mr Grayling,

You ask three questions, and I will deal with these in turn.

1.  I am not currently a member of the Conservative Party, though I have been for most of the past 21 years.  I allowed my membership to lapse last year though disagreement with the leadership on issues other than Europe. I may rejoin the Party, and will probably vote for it at the next election - depending on who my candidate is.

2.  I am not nor ever have been a member of UKIP.  I voted for it at the European elections of last year and for its mayoral candidate in London last month.  I admire UKIP's general stand, but see it more as a reminder to the Conservative Party than a replacement.

3.  I have not so far paid attention to the other main parties, because they are mostly filled with political zombies who would not give meaningful answers to any question on Europe.  The Conservative Party is where the debate on Europe is being fought and won.  I do sincerely
believe that the Candidlist initiative is helpinig to make the Tory party more electable.

Whether you choose to answer the Candidlist questions is up to you. But, as said, I do believe that a yes answer to both of them will assist candidates at the next election.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Sean Gabb
Candidlist Webmaster

Dear Dr Gabb

Thank you for your replies to my questions. I have also read some of the material you have published on your own website.

I have considered your original request, but have decided that I do not wish to make any further comments to you beyond those I have already included in our original exchange of views. My views on Europe are public and longstanding - but I do not believe it serves the interests of the Conservative Party for candidates to allow themselves to be included in
externally generated opinion surveys like the candidlist.

Yours sincerely

Chris Grayling

Dear Mr Grayling,

As I am unable to be sure where you stand in terms of the Candidlist questions, I regret that I have no alternative but to change your classification to don't know.

I hope you will eventually reconsider your refusal to cooperate.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Sean Gabb
Candidlist Webmaster