as ever Ukip members at all levels are fighting like ferrets in a sack – their leaderless situation after years of self serving leaders is just another one of the more obvious fractures that are destroying the party with no sign of anyone of any competence and political skill likely to step forward and put a stop to the squabbling.
Added to this so many senior party members are under investigation by OLAF and asd far afield as the FBI, CIA, and US NSA with quite obvious links to Russia and Russian funding it is hardly surprising!
There is even talk that Banks, Stroloff, Farage, Batten and possibly others are in danger of indictment!
Here is concrete evidence for you of how widespread this utter incompetence is and although I don’t find Ukip has sufficient worth or future to invest more time in the matter investigating this document sent to me has the absolute ring of truth to it as justy more of the same:
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL PRIVILEGED – DO NOT DISTRIBUTE FURTHER
GUIDANCE SOUGHT FROM: UKIP NEC including UKIP GENERAL SECRETARY, UKIP PARTY SECRETARY (LEGAL TEAM)
DRAFT REPORT ON LONDON TITHEING (OR, ABSENCE OF) BY UKIP LONDON ASSEMBLY MEMBERS
BACKGROUND
This report is produced because I, the Regional Chairman, am fed up of being criticised by people connected to one or other London Assembly members for my playing some role in, or being responsible for, their not attending, since May 2016, Regional committee meetings, to which I’ve always invited them. This also relates to the issue of tithing by London Assembly members.
They have not made any financial contribution to the Region or, I am advised, any significant contribution to central Party funds; if there were any significant financial contributions directly to branches, I’ve not been able to find any. This report principally relates to suggestions that, prior to being elected, AMs had promised to contribute.
At the minuted Regional meeting of May 9, 2016, several days after the AMs had been elected, NEC delegate Elizabeth Jones asked an extra-agenda question about whether the AMs would tithe or otherwise contribute money. I ended this discussion once an impasse was reached. Many of us then overheard a side conversation from the floor, where two members of the Croydon branch were agreeing that a prior commitment to tithe had been made by one or both AMs.
Several minutes later, Elizabeth revisited this, and several others chimed in. An AM took offence an began to remonstrat with her in raised tones; both left in a huff. I gently scolded the NEC member for what could be seen as incivility. At a talk after the end of the meeting, it appeared to me that a third party, the then Chairman of the Croydon branch, also thought this had happened, but was more concerned that the NEC member had been too brusque.
I had no prior intention of looking further into what was a year-old matter when the (new to the job, and apparently interpreting his role very differently from how the Regional Secretary and I saw it) Regional Vice Chairman began claiming in writing that it was largely my fault. Had he not done so, I would not have initiated these enquiries.
To quote from several of his picturesque emails addressed to myself:
“The division is disastrous and a gaping self-inflicted wound on UKIP in London … The matter is more complex than that and certainly is not solely the result of ‘unsympathetic handling from an attendee’ as your email implies. … Regarding the disastrous divisions at senior level within UKIP in London, I think it would be helpful if you acknowledged, first to yourself and then to Peter and David, your own major contribution to this unfortunate state of affairs. A little humility an realistic acknowledgement of your mistakes might open the door to reconciliation between you.”
He kept calling for meetings to discuss this, though there was a snap General Election to fight. I thought this bizarre. For the avoidance of doubt – my duties include competently chairing meetings; my skill-set does not include reading people’s minds as to what they are about to do or say, but have not yet done or said. And, given the additional information, it appears as if the NEC attendee, Elizabeth, may have been justified in bringing up the matter again.
Then, the person who set all this off, the Regional Vice Chairman, resigned, citing a potential conflict of interest as he is closely involved in getting one of the AMs concerned elected as Party Leader. His resignation was accepted.
In conjunction with the Regional Secretary, I have investigated the matter; I do not find I made anything to support the Vice Chairman’s allegations against me. There is nothing further I can do – I defer to youi to look into it, and also into whether there was any prior commitment to tithe. There is some evidence there was.
The then Vice Chairman’s emails also showed knowledge of an apparently unconstitutional body operating in London in parallel with the legitimate one (the “LRC”), and fund-raising within UKIP – one which the Secretary, R.O. and I are obliged to fully investigate. The Vice Chairman claimed to have been offered a senior position in that body (“LCC”).
WHAT I HAVE SINCE DONE TO ASCERTAIN THE TRUTH
In summer 2017, have attempted to contact all attendees at the unminuted UKIP branch meeting in Croydon on October 28, 2015 (i.e., 3+ months before I was elected Regional Chairman). The position of the AM attendees is selfevident – they deny there was any commitment to tithe.
Three attendees claim a pledge or pledges were made. Written evidence from them is below.
None of the other non-AM attendees (CW, DH, MS, PK), when telephoned by me, were able to shed any further light on this. All said they couldn’t confirm tithing pledges were made, but couldn’t confirm they weren’t. One of the four (PK) is hard of hearing; the other three say they remember almost nothing of what was said. The former branch Chairman (CW), whom I thought on May 9 2016 recalled the 2015 event, in 2017 said he no longer could be sure.
So, of the seven identified attendees beside the AMs, three assert that a pledge or pledges were made, and the other four don’t recall either way. Knowing the attendees and the relations (strained in several cases) between them, I find it hard to believe there is collusion. However, I cannot guarantee there hasn’t been any. Arguably, one of the three witnesses may have an axe to grind.
Important Caveat: I cannot attest to the veracity or accuracy of anything other than what was directly witnessed by me.
None of what allegedly happened in Croydon was witnessed by me. The emails quoted below were really from their apparent senders (Kathleen Garner 02086 816135; Peter Staveley 07973168742; Suzanne Evans 07973149104).
Freddy Vachha, UKIP Regional Chairman – London
[Page 1 of 4]
EVIDENCE FROM WITNESSES
=================================================================================================
From: K Garner <kgarnerukip@hotmail.co.uk>
To: “Freddy (UKIP)” <myword_is_mybond@hotmail.com>
Subject: Fw: Croydon Meeting- extension 2 date
Date: Tue, 9 May 2017 19:17:39 +0000
Message-ID: <HE1PR07MB10048C128C37E66E792C8DC4F3EF0@HE1PR07MB1004.eurprd07.prod.outlook.com>
Return-Path: kgarnerukip@hotmail.co.uk
From: K Garner <kgarnerukip@hotmail.co.uk>
Sent: 08 May 2017 21:00
To: Andy Beadle
Subject: Re: Croydon Meeting- extension 2 date
Subject: Croydon Meeting
Up-date:
Not long after the selection process for the GLA elections in 2016 had finished, the three top candidates, Peter Whittle, David Kurten and Suzanne Evans, were invited to speak to the Croydon UKIP branch. The meeting was held on Wednesday, the 28th October, 2015, at The Orchard public house in Cherry Orchard Road, Addiscombe, East Croydon.
The issue of the candidates’ paying a tithe to the party arose. David Kurten stated that he would pay 10% to the party in London. I queried this, pointing out that it would involve his paying £5,000. He agreed to the amount, adding that it would in fact probably be more than that.
I recall that Peter Whittle did not make any comment about his planned contribution.
I am not sure what Suzanne Evans said but in a later e-mail in response to one from me she said that as a councillor she had paid a regular monthly tithe and would have done the same again.
At the May 9th [2016] LRC meeting held at the Old Butler’s Head, Elizabeth Jones reminded the committee that Labour members pay a tithe to their party and, with further reference to the lost mayoral deposit, pursued this issue with reference to Peter Whittle and David Kurten. Both GLA members, who were present, made it clear that they disliked the raising of this matter and refused to discuss it.
I mentioned what had been said at the Croydon meeting to Peter Staveley who was sitting to the right of my neighbour.
He agreed that these comments had been made.
Elizabeth Jones then brought up the issue again but the chairman informed her that the matter had been dealt with.
Peter Whittle left the room abruptly. David Kurten followed Peter Whittle a few minutes later.
Regards,
Kathleen Garner
Croydon UKIP
=================================================================================================
From: K Garner <kgarnerukip@hotmail.co.uk>
To: My Word Is My Bond <myword_is_mybond@hotmail.com>, Peter Staveley <Peter@PeterStaveley.co.uk>
Subject: Re: London 9/5/2015; Croydon 28/10/2015; LRC 9/5/2016.
Date: Thu, 11 May 2017 14:42:57 +0000
Message-ID: <HE1PR07MB1004EAD90A34471BD67B154FF3ED0@HE1PR07MB1004.eurprd07.prod.outlook.com>
I do recall that it was 10% because after David made this offer I immediately pointed out to him that this would constitute £5,000 and he not only agreed, he said it would in fact be slightly more.
This is what makes me so certain that he did make this offer in this way.
I had not thought about it since that event until the fatal LRC meeting when I was taken aback by David’s response.
Regards,
Kathleen
=================================================================================================
[Page 2 of 4]
=================================================================================================
From: Peter Staveley <Peter@PeterStaveley.co.uk>
Sent: 11 May 2017 06:54
To: My Word Is My Bond
Subject: RE: Attn: Peter Staveley.
Message-ID: <7E79D6B64DC9AD4CA85C929998631C44011237549DC9@SERVER2008.PeterStaveley.co.uk>
In-Reply-To: <HE1PR08MB0714F52055F7CDEC7BA8DFCADCEC0@HE1PR08MB0714.eurprd08.prod.outlook.com>
Freddy
I too have a recollection that David offered a tithe. I am not so certain that any figure was mentioned. Unfortunately, as in any witness statement, my memory has been clouded by later comments so I am less comfortable that 10% was mentioned. However, that could well have been because 10% seemed very reasonable and absolutely normal.
Certainly had I been in David’s position I would have made the same commitment (and stuck to it).
Peter
From: myword_is_mybond@hotmail.com
Sent: 11 May 2017
To: Peter Staveley <Peter@PeterStaveley.co.uk>
Subject: Attn: Peter Staveley.
Now things have quietened down as GE2017 nominations go in, or don’t, I’m briefly addressing several deeply unpleasant accusations made against me, in writing, after I won re-election at the LRC AGM (…) The essence of them is that I bear some responsibility, or even guilt, for allowing the question of tithes to be raised by Elizabeth Jones at the LRC last May 9, or by not shutting it/her down quickly enough when she re-raised them.
The bare facts of what happened were minuted and are not in dispute.
While what Elizabeth had stated a year ago evidently made several uncomfortable, and may even been in poor taste,
she was IMO neither rude nor offensive. Breaking into a comfort zone is less significant than breaking an electoral promise. Elizabeth, as an NEC member, had the right to attend LRC meetings, and, as I confirmed with both the then General Secretary (and UKIP Legal chief) and later with his successor, such attendance carries with it the right to address the meeting, though not to disrupt it.
At that May 9, 2016 LRC meeting, an exchange between Kathleen Garner and yourself, wholly unanticipated by me, was overheard by me. I didn’t miss a word of it. I have precious few talents; the ability to accurately follow simultaneous conversations, and a good sense of hearing, are two of them.
I had noticed you nodding in agreement at what Kathleen told you she had recollected (which was an abbreviated version of what appears in bold below). You recalled it too.
Understanding in a trice the significance of what had just passed between Kathleen and you, I instantly looked across at the Croydon branch Chairman. His expression conveyed to me that he too had heard the exchange.
Evidently, the exchange was also heard by Elizabeth Jones, who then immediately revisited what I’d closed down 10 minutes or so earlier. Very shortly thereafter, chaos ensued.
At the end of that fateful LRC meeting I – very briefly – spoke with the Croydon branch Chairman. His focus was his unhappiness at the manner in which Elizabeth had approached the matter, and not whether what Kathleen had recalled had really happened… I thought that significant and [perhaps] corroborative.
Last week, our having suffered this year-old incident being dredged up, one of my LRC colleagues asked for the subject of that exchange to be set out by Kathleen in writing.
This is what she has kindly provided, based on her contemporaneous notes from 2015:
“Not long after the selection process for the GLA elections in 2016 had finished, the three top candidates, Peter Whittle, David Kurten and Suzanne Evans, were invited to speak to the Croydon UKIP branch. The meeting was held on Wednesday, the 28th October, 2015, at The Orchard public house, [112] Cherry Orchard Road, Addiscombe, East Croydon [CR0 6BA].
The issue of the candidates’ paying a tithe to the party arose. David Kurten stated that he would pay 10% to the party in London. I queried this, pointing out that it would involve his paying £5,000. He agreed to the amount, adding that it would in fact probably be more than that.
I recall that Peter Whittle did not make any comment about his planned contribution.”
Kathleen also stated this came up again in email with Suzanne Evans, who commented on her own record of contributing moneys.
Peter, does the italicised material broadly agree with your recollection of those events in Croydon in October 2015? If no, where do you disagree with Kathleen? Please add anything of relevance. I was, of course, not there. (…) Thanks.
Best, Freddy
=================================================================================================
[Page 3 of 4]
=================================================================================================
From: Suzanne Evans <suzanne@suzanne-evans.co.uk>
Message-ID: <44DD3B4F-18C9-4057-AF0C-13EC67F51B6C@suzanne-evans.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Suzanne. Tithes, tears, tantrums and truth?
Date: Mon, 15 May 2017 20:05:23 +0100
To: My Word Is My Bond <myword_is_mybond@hotmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <HE1PR08MB07142CD0EE0C2AF7C267CEEEDCE30@HE1PR08MB0714.eurprd08.prod.outlook.com>
Dear Freddy,
I was at the Croydon meeting, as I was then still number three on the London list. I recall quite clearly that we all – myself, Peter Whittle and David Kurten – pledged to pay a tithe. I pointed out that I had done so as a Councillor. I cannot explicitly recall DK saying he would pay 10% but yes, we all did offer to pay something from our AM salaries if elected.
Best wishes,
Suzanne Evans
UKIP Deputy Chair (Policy)
UKIP Health Spokesperson
@suzanneevans1
http://www.facebook.com/SuzanneEvansUKIP
On 13 May 2017, at 17:24, My Word Is My Bond <myword_is_mybond@hotmail.com> wrote:
Dear Suzanne,
Please read what is below, as well as the attached Agenda (see 3.a-f, especially “f”) and Minutes (see the “Non-Agenda item” that appears below “5d”) for the LRC meeting held on May 9, 2016. (..) What would be helpful is for you to clarify what did, or did not, happen at a meeting of the Croydon UKIP branch you attended on Wednesday, 28th October, 2015, at The Orchard public house, 112 Cherry Orchard Road, Addiscombe, East Croydon CR0 6BA, in the matter of tithing. I was not there. (…) Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this.
Best, Freddy
=================================================================================================
From: K Garner <kgarnerukip@hotmail.co.uk>
Message-ID: <AMSPR07MB194258F7BA6B4FEBDD8DA52F3A60@AMSPR07MB194.eurprd07.prod.outlook.com>
Subject: Hustings [on Tuesday 18 July 2017]
Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2017 01:42:58 +0000
To: “Freddy (UKIP)” <myword_is_mybond@hotmail.com>
CMM-sender-ip: 40.92.67.93
Very useful event, thanks.
I bumped into David Kurten as he was leaving. I reminded him of his promise to pay a tenth when he was in Croydon.
He denied it. I said he did and he appeared to claim that I was lying. By their deeds shall ye know them.
Kathleen
=================================================================================================
[Page 4 of 4]
Greg Lance - Watkins (Greg_L-W)
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Ukip-vs-EUkip 