Greg Lance - Watkins (Greg_L-W)
KNIVES appear to be out for the long-standing Tunbridge Wells Ukip boss with plans to oust him as chairman of the party’s local branch.
Victor Webb, who secured the first Ukip seat on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in 2011, is under threat from members of his own party.
An extraordinary general meeting has been called for Wednesday where members will be urged to vote him out as chairman of Ukip Tunbridge Wells constituency branch.
Mr Webb told the Courier
: “They will vote to replace me.
“I think people have been told ‘the committee can’t get on with him’ or ‘the committee can’t work with him’ and that it would be better if I stood down.
“I don’t know how it will go. I think if all the membership were fully invited, in the circumstances, they would not like it and not vote for it (but) I don’t know if all members have been invited.
“I don’t even know yet where the meeting is being held.”
Mr Webb was a high-profile local campaigner for Ukip for 14 years before he was elected on to the borough council.
He has the highest attendance record out of all the council’s 48 members, having attended 48 meetings in the last municipal year.
He was a familiar feature at the Millennium Clock – which he dubbed ‘Tunbridge Wells’ own Speaker’s Corner – with a loud hailer and his bulldog dressed in a Union Flag.
Mr Webb said he believed fellow Ukip member and borough councillor Piers Wauchope – who won the second seat in Mr Webb’s ward of Rusthall two years ago – was behind the plan to turf him out.
Mr Wauchope attended five borough council meetings in the past year.
Asked how he would feel if he was ousted, Mr Webb said: “I would feel let down and feel it was manoeuvring by Piers who seems to be on his own agenda. I have spent 14 years slogging away for Ukip, I believe in its principles and I am hoping Piers will be removed and when he is there will be a happy ship again. One member of Ukip has written to me and said ‘this stinks’.”
Asked if he would consider standing as an independent because of the political plotting, he said: “I have considered going independent.”
The minutes of Ukip’s committee meeting on May 28 state: “A proposal was carried that an extraordinary general meeting of the Tunbridge Wells branch be called to consider a motion to be proposed by councillor Piers Wauchope and seconded by Chris Hoare that the councillor Victor Webb be replaced as chairman of the Tunbridge Wells Ukip branch.”
When asked directly if he was lobbying to oust his local party chairman, Mr Wauchope refused to reply, stating: “Victor is the hardest-working councillor in Tunbridge Wells and a great asset not only for Rusthall but for everyone in the borough.”
geoffbastin said
This story has nothing to do with UKIP nationally and is just a local spat between one or two male opponents that obviously still like to fight amongst themselves. It happens in all political parties and other organisations that are run by volunteers and committees. I suppose you could say it’s the British way and where better to see this in action but Royal Tunbridge Wells.
LikeLike
Greg Lance-Watkins said
Hi,
I do agree with you save for the fact that those better informed and with a longer experience of UKIP and Farage’s cult style of control and lack of leadership qualities will be aware that his party makes something of a specialisation of this style of behaviour – no doubt for lack of compertency and gravitas, and a near total lack of strategy.
After 21 years the party still functions on utterly corrupt foundations beset with internal squabbling as the claque jockeys for position to fulfill their personal ambitions and edge closer to the gravy train and the crumbs Farage lets fall from his trough!
Was this style of back stabbing and general dishonesty on a par with other parties one could be beguilled into believing your appologia but the vituperative nature of UKIP dishonesty is in a class of its own!
Think what a vile Country these United Kingdoms would become if the general dishonesty of UKIP’s claque and Farage’s clique in particular were to gain any relevant domestic authority in political terms.
Regards,
Greg_L-W.
LikeLike