Vodafone boss votes Tory

Dan Milmo
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday May 30 2001 11.52 BST

The Vodafone chief, Chris Gent, has declared he is voting for the Conservatives in the general election, despite his vicious attack on William Hague's anti-euro policy.

Just 24 hours after rattling the party with a broadside at its anti-euro stance, insiders confirmed Mr Gent had plumped for the Conservatives in a postal vote.

Mr Gent's support will come as a major fillip to Mr Hague, who yesterday admitted on Newsnight he might change his mind on the euro in five years' time.

The phone company boss is now one of Britain's most influential businessmen, controlling a group worth £125bn and generating annual revenues of £14bn.

Yesteray the outspoken head of Britain's largest company told reporters he had voted "out of principle" and not "out of habit", sparking speculation the lifetime Tory supporter had switched parties.

Today a spokesman said Mr Gent still had a "major issue" with Mr Hague over Europe, but that he was happy with Tory policy in other areas.

The chief executive added Mr Hague's anti-euro stance was "his problem and not mine", and said the Conservative party's policy on Europe was "incompatible" with Vodafone's stance as a pan-European company.

"Obviously he has made his views known but it has not affected his voting for the Conservatives," said a spokesman for Vodafone.

He said Mr Gent had to vote by post because he would be out of the country on election day.

But he insisted Mr Gent had not come under pressure from the Tories today after his remarks were splashed in the Mirror.

He said Mr Gent had not met with the leader of the Opposition to discuss the issue of Europe, although he remains at loggerheads with Mr Hague over the single currency.

"He certainly has an issue with the euro policy. Europe is not an issue he sees eye to eye with William Hague on. But he does not have a problem with Tory party domestic policies," he added.

The Conservative party, whose anti-euro campaign has backfired in the polls, was unavailable for comment.

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