Goggleboxgate: Ukip candidate’s fury as he is ousted from key seat for star of hit C4 show
- Gogglebox’s Andrew Michael chosen as Hastings and Rye Ukip candidate
- Ralph Atkinson claims he was kicked out in favour of the Channel 4 star
- He vented his anger in a leaked email that was sent to local party members
- Also condemned Ukip’s policy of recruiting defecting Tories and celebrities
By Glen Owen Political Correspondent For The Mail On Sunday
Published: 22:04, 6 December 2014 | Updated: 23:51, 6 December 2014
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Nigel Farage was last night accused of recruiting ‘toffs for the top’ of Ukip after a candidate in a key target seat expressed fury that he had been ousted in favour of a star of the TV programme Gogglebox.
Andrew Michael, a wealthy, retired hotelier who features on the Channel 4 programme, has been parachuted in as Mr Farage’s candidate in Hastings and Rye, where the sitting Tory MP holds a wafer-thin majority.
Now the deposed candidate has given vent to his anger in a leaked email to local party members in which he condemns Ukip’s policy of recruiting defecting Tory MPs and celebrities. Ralph Atkinson calls on Ukip members to bombard Mr Farage with complaints about his treatment, and claims that his party boasts ‘standards of democracy lower than the unelected European Commission’.
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First choice: Andrew Michael, a wealthy, retired hotelier who features on the Channel 4 programme alongside his family (above), has been parachuted in as Mr Farage’s candidate in Hastings and Rye
The row has blown up just days before Mr Farage will be seen in an alcohol-fuelled encounter with two other stars of the hit show, in which viewers watch people watching television.
Steph and Dom Parker have been filmed knocking back glasses of wine and champagne with Mr Farage for a TV special which ends with the Ukip leader falling over, smashing a glass and having to borrow a pair of his host’s trousers.
Row: Ralph Atkinson claims that he was kicked out in favour of Mr Michael. He has vented his anger in an email to local Ukip party members
Mr Michael, 55 – whose Gogglebox appearances with his wife Carolyne and two of their four children have included discussions about whether Ukip is racist – was selected for the seat last week shortly after Mr Atkinson was removed in a coup which he says was orchestrated by the party’s head office.
In the email, seen by The Mail on Sunday, Mr Atkinson complains that he has ‘apparently been removed as Hastings & Rye Prospective Parliamentary Candidate’, and says sarcastically, in reference to the recent by-election victories of ex-Tories Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless: ‘Obviously potential candidates who have defected from the Conservatives will be preferred to long-term party members. This is in line with party policy which is to recruit more ‘‘toffs for the top’’ in order to win votes from the disenfranchised working-class voters, who exist in great numbers here’.
Mr Atkinson, a former Ukip spokesman on immigration, adds: ‘Any person wishing to complain in a civilised fashion about this situation should send to [he gives Mr Farage’s private email address].’
Hastings, which is held by Tory MP Amber Rudd with a majority over Labour of under 2,000, is number 54 on Ukip’s ‘hitlist’ of Conservative-held seats. Mr Michael is filmed for Gogglebox at his £1.5 million house, which, far from being in the Hastings constituency, is in Brighton. In one recent edition, Mr Michael, who is of Greek-Cypriot origin, discussed the alleged racism of Ukip’s ‘calypso’ song with his family. At one point his children laugh sarcastically: ‘Wouldn’t want anyone thinking Ukip is racist.’
And in another episode, Mr Michael’s wife Carolyne says: ‘That Mark Reckless is not exactly very charismatic is he?’ After Mr Michael agrees, she adds: ‘I think if you were a donkey and you had the Ukip rosette on, they would vote for you.’
Favoured: Mr Atkinson says, in reference to ex-Tories like Douglas Carswell (right with Mr Farage): ‘Potential candidates who have defected from the Conservatives will be preferred to long-term party members.’
Douglas Carswell and Nigel Farage talk about party defection
Last week it was revealed that more than a dozen party activists had resigned amid complaints that Mr Farage and his ‘undemocratic cabal’ had stopped long-serving Ukip members from standing as MPs in winnable seats.
Last night, a Ukip spokesman said: ‘It is Ukip policy that candidates in target seats are verified by the NEC. In the case of Hastings, it was felt the candidate was not suitable.
‘Nobody was preferred by the party. Hastings has now selected Mr Michael. This has nothing to do with Mr Farage’s filming with the Gogglebox team, which took place months ago and was unrelated.’
Greg Lance - Watkins (Greg_L-W)
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geoffbastin said
It is always so noticeable how there seems to be a dearth of comments on the material you choose to place on this blog. I can only assume that your comments and attitude is so wide of the mark that very few bother to read your rants. It should be possible to express yourself in civil terms but again you chose to distort and I expect you will continue to do so until your dying day. I always wish you peace of mind because that is the greatest blessing in this life. I’m fearful that in your case you will go out screaming about people and organisations all of which will exist and flourish long after we both have gone.
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Greg Lance-Watkins said
Hi,
I do so hope you are right and that I will continue to take an active part in influencing matters, based upon the facts, to my dying day.
Few comment on this blog as many of them choose to hide the fact that they read it on a daily basis but fear abuse and repercussions from Ukip if it was known they read it, as with my Twitter comments.
Fortunately from the phone calls I receive it is apparent that amongst my regular readers are a notable number of journalists and bloggers of influence and as they have learned this is the most comprehensive public record/archive of factual cross referenced material regarding Ukip and it6s cult members.
That the blog has gained such significance over many years gives me great peace of mind as it ensures tjhe corruption and abuse of office which is proven endemic in Ukip does not escape attention.
Thanks for the further opportunity of presenting the facts, I do hope you keep up the good work ensuring the durability of this blog.
Regards,
Greg_L-W.
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geoffbastin said
Perhaps if the journalist who wrote this nonsense had a grasp of the real reasons for Ralph Atkinson’s deselection he might have written something much closer to the truth. It was the local party that lost faith in Atkinson and not HQ or Nigel Farage. Candidates are chosen locally, not imposed like Labour or Tory ones. Andy Michaels is far more suitable as the Party candidate than his predecessor and we are only reading this non storey because Atkinson is a bad loser. It’s happened before and I doubt it will be the last such case. Candidates just like all employees and representatives have to perform according to requirements and rules. Its as simple as that.
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Greg Lance-Watkins said
Hi,
in the light of the track record of dishonesty, corruption, bullying and gerrymandering endemic in Ukip and the well documented corruption of their internal selection and election processes the ONLY way in which your risible claim would be of any worth would be through the Courts.
Do you fondly imagine a newspaper would publish such an article were it likely to face the litigious nature of Ukip?
Clearly you have little or no knowledge of Ukip and though your gllibility may serve you well with your masters as you seek to climb on the gravy train to the informed it merely either makes a laughing stock of you or befouls any reputation you may pretend to.
May I suggest thaty before you make further foolish comments you study the facts and the track record of endemic corruption within Ukip over many years.
However thank you yet again for the opportunity to present more facts for readers – I suggest you do some informed studying of detail and the facts – much of which you will find on this web site, together with documentary provenance and many well informed links.
Regards,
Greg_L-W.
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geoffbastin said
I hope one day you will find it possible to write something that is not so deliberately aggressive and rude when making a reply. I was commenting on the Atkinson / Michaels story and the inaccuracies of the article that was prompted by Atkinson. I was not discussing any of your other pet themes so I wonder why it was necessary for you to be so personal in your reply. I always say to anyone that wishes to engage in abusive rhetoric to be careful as I can be far more abusive than they can towards me. You obviously have some severe problem with UKIP past and present but all your comments are so hopelessly one sided that they will never have the effect you so desire. UKIP are heading for success next May with or without your help and you may as well quit now and spare your high blood pressure. May you find some peace of mind before it’s too late.
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Greg Lance-Watkins said
Hi,
yet again you had written a light weight and critical comment to my blog, unsubstantiated by any corroborative links or facts to back it and as ever lacking in veracity, plausibility or detail.
Do yu really find my rebuttal of your fanciful comments rude!
You seem to have very little grasp of the political realities and take the line so often prevalent amongst its cult followers, seemingly not wishing to take into consideration the facts as they so clearly interfere with the ambition and the truth so clearly shows the spin to be nonsense.
I have no doubt of your ability to be abusive as you boast, just as I have no intention of sinking to your level.
You are of course correct in claiming I have issues with Ukip past and present – how right you are, I can not stand corruption in public office and their propensity for band wagon jumping whilst bereft of competent policy nor even when it comes to the EU a responsible, honourable exit and survival strategy.
The dirth of competence within Ukip on almost every level is not only palpable but together with their doctrine of corruption and lack of vision, bullying and abuse of both women and critics, opponents and those who seek solutions after over 21 years in politics drawing large incomes from the public purse is a disgrace.
That they lie, cheat and steal for their personal gain is undeniable and that they have an odious and vociferous claque of devotees to the Nigel Farage cult makes a mockery of efforts to improve the standards of democracy which I personally espouse.
Yet again I than k you for giving me the opportunity to present the facts to rebut your all too oft ill informed speculations as to my motives and my values.
Regards,
Greg_L-W.
PS: I am sure you well appreciate that were you to live down to your boast of being abusive and offensive you would find yourself without a platform here to try to make any point at all as I would merely delete your offensive rancour – which I for one would regret as it would deny readers the opportunity to study how ill informed those in Ukip with pretensions to office are and myself the opportunity to publish more verifiable facts regarding Ukip and its cult followers and gutter associates.
G.L-W.
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