Rod Richards, former leader of the Conservative group in the Assembly
Former Welsh Office Minister Rod Richards has accused Ukip leader Nigel Farage of letting him down badly in the selection of candidates to fight next year’s European Parliament election.
Mr Richards, who had hoped to stand for the anti-EU party in Wales, said he was left shocked when told he had come eighth out of eight would-be candidates in an assessment exercise undertaken by Ukip officials.
The former Conservative MP for Clwyd North West, a reformed alcoholic who was also the first Tory group leader at the National Assembly, is one of the most colourful political figures in Wales.
A Welsh Office Minister under John Major, he was forced to resign after his affair with an animal welfare lobbyist was exposed by the News of the World. He stood down as Tory leader in Wales after being charged with assaulting a woman he met in a London pub. He was acquitted after a Crown Court trial.
Last month we revealed how Mr Richards had joined Ukip and speculated that he would seek nomination as a European candidate.
He told us: “I was very interested in standing as a candidate and contacted Nigel Farage last year. He encouraged me to stand and understood that because of my work as an independent political pundit for the BBC it had been difficult for me to join Ukip up until then.
“He told me that would be no problem and arranged for me to meet the chairman of Ukip, Steve Crowther. I met him in Bristol in February and he also encouraged me.
“A couple of weeks ago I took part in a hustings meeting at the Bear Hotel in Cowbridge, where all the candidates spoke. I was also interviewed by the party panel and did an isometric test.
“I’m not being immodest when I say I have a lot of public speaking experience, and have also been an MP and a Government Minister. I think I performed well on the day.
“I was shocked when I had a phone call from Steve Crowther last Friday and was told I had come eighth out of eight. He told me a lot of people in the party were against me because I had only recently joined – but both he and Nigel Farage had said earlier that wouldn’t be a problem.
“Raising the issue with him in the first place was designed to avoid something like this happening.”
Expressing his dismay at the party leader, Mr Richards added: “When I rang him last Friday he sent me a text saying ‘Will call in a bit’, but I haven’t heard from him since.
“After leaving the Conservative Party it took years for me to get used as an independent political pundit by the BBC and other broadcasters. That income is now lost to me again.”
Nigel Farage
Mr Farage said: “It’s perfectly true that I encouraged him to put his name forward for selection. The past is the past so far as I am concerned.
“But as a candidate myself I had absolutely nothing to do with the assessment process – I’ve been completely out of that.”
The Ukip leader confirmed he had promised to phone Mr Richards: “That’s true – I owe him a phone call, and will make it. It’s been a fairly busy period.”
Ukip national chairman Steve Crowther, who was in charge of the assessment process, said: “I like Rod and think he’s an extremely talented and experienced guy.
“The assessment process is immensely detailed and multi-faceted and has been devised to be as objective as possible.
“We had 140 would-be candidates and had to whittle them down to 70. Rod hasn’t been a member for very long and was at a slight disadvantage because he was not so au fait with our ways as others might be.
“On the day he performed very well but not everyone can win.”
Those with a memory and knowledge of UKIP will be well aware this follows the style of UKIP in encouraging high profile individuals to join UKIP – You may remember Robert Kilroy Silk was promised the leadership of UKIP by Nigel Farage in order to persuade him to stand for UKIP as a last minute candidate.
This is a style where other examples can be cited of promises to gain converts – promises never honoured once ‘the mark’ has commited themselves.
I must say that I found this statement:
Mr Farage said: “It’s perfectly true that I encouraged him to put his name forward for selection. The past is the past so far as I am concerned.
“But as a candidate myself I had absolutely nothing to do with the assessment process – I’ve been completely out of that.”
of particularly implausibility! You will note the votes of local members in the selection of THEIR candidates is of absolutely zero significance and that the party constitution expressly permits the party leader to both parachute in cronies at the last minute and select the order of the candidates HIS staff selected using his appointed muppets and puppets on the NEC!
We welcome comments but reserve the right to moderate & refuse libelous or offensive comments and those we choose to delete when written by unidentifiable individuals hidden in anonymity in a cowardly manner to defame or abuse. No comment has EVER been barred or deleted which is genuine & clearly authored by a named & identifiable individual. You will note many comments made have been commented on and even corrected by the blog owner. We welcome genuine comments. Cancel reply
Greg Lance - Watkins (Greg_L-W)
. Re-TWEET my Twitterings
Ukip-vs-EUkip 
We welcome comments but reserve the right to moderate & refuse libelous or offensive comments and those we choose to delete when written by unidentifiable individuals hidden in anonymity in a cowardly manner to defame or abuse. No comment has EVER been barred or deleted which is genuine & clearly authored by a named & identifiable individual. You will note many comments made have been commented on and even corrected by the blog owner. We welcome genuine comments.