1 3 8 ▁to ▁ 3 1 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁Johnson ▁gave ▁up ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ▁wh ip ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons . ▁He ▁described ▁himself ▁as ▁an ▁Independent ▁Conserv ative ▁and ▁in ▁June ▁sought ▁leave ▁to ▁introduce ▁a ▁Bill ▁to ▁bring ▁in ▁the ▁Single ▁Transfer able ▁V ote ▁system ; ▁leave ▁was ▁refused ▁by ▁ 1 3 7 ▁to ▁ 2 0 . ▁Johnson ▁made ▁the ▁case ▁for ▁the ▁Bill ▁as ▁a ▁way ▁of ▁reducing ▁local ▁party ▁discipline ▁over ▁MP s , ▁and ▁shortly ▁after ▁published ▁a ▁pam ph let ▁called ▁" The ▁Political ▁H atch et ▁Men " ▁which ▁argued ▁that ▁the ▁discipl inary ▁powers ▁of ▁the ▁Wh ips ▁had ▁been ▁transferred ▁to ▁local ▁constitu ency ▁chair men . ▁▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁general ▁election ▁Johnson ▁decided ▁to ▁defend ▁his ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁general ▁election ▁as ▁a ▁" Con serv ative ▁and ▁Independent ". ▁He ▁had ▁a ▁form id able ▁campaign ▁organisation ▁but ▁won ▁only ▁ 2 . 9 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote , ▁which ▁exper ts ▁described ▁as ▁" subst ant ial ly ▁below ▁recent ▁votes ▁for ▁re bel ▁M . P . s ". ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁Johnson ▁settled ▁a ▁lib el ▁action ▁against ▁the ▁publish ers ▁of ▁the ▁C umber land ▁Even ing ▁News ▁over ▁a ▁letter ▁published ▁two ▁days ▁before ▁pol ling ▁day ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁general ▁election . ▁The ▁letter