Heaton-Harris, who is running his party’s bye-election campaign in Corby, has allegedly been filmed telling an anti-wind candidate to stand against the three major parties, adding: “Please don’t tell anybody ever.”
Greenpeace claim to of secretly recorded the footage of Heaton-Harris telling anti-wind candidate James Delingpole to stand in Corby as part of a plan to ‘cause some hassle’.
Delingpole then withdraw his candidacy the day after energy minister John Hayes made controversial comments to the press where he said the development of onshore wind turbines should be curbed.
The timing has fuelled suggestions in The Guardian that the three are involved in a joint enterprise to derail government support for on-shore wind and broke with political allegiance to support a rival candidate.
Heaton-Horris is well known for his stance on renewable energy having previously got over 100 MPs to sign a letter to the prime minister calling for an end to subsidies.
Meanwhile, Hayes repeated his views last night on Channel 4 news that no more onshore wind farms should enter the planning system.
Both Hayes and Heaton-Horris have denied rumours of a plot and said that an alleged meeting with Delingpole never took place.
Delingpole, who writes for the Telegraph, said: “And did my own brief involvement in the Corby bye-election play its part in concentrating David Cameron’s mind and shifting government policy? Well obviously I’d like to imagine so.”