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Hi,
you may be interested by the posting selected by Junius from the compilation by Derek Hunnikin and some facts related to it which are posted on The Junius blog as a comment.
1. IN THE BEGINNING
The first leader of UKIP, when it was founded towards the end of 1993, was Dr. Alan Sked who was, and still is (as far as I know), a senior lecturer at the London School of Economics. In 1994 Farage proposed that the party endeavour to campaign for UKIP to have MEP representation in the European Parliament. Dr. Sked was adamantly opposed to this proposal, as he thought it would indicate that the United Kingdom had agreed to be subservient to the European Union. Farage’s argument was that UKIP MEPs would generate income for the party and doors, which would otherwise remain closed to our party, would be opened. Farage won the day and Dr. Sked, together with several others, including Colin Bullen (who went on to be a leading light in The Campaign for an Independent Britain), resigned from UKIP.
So, right from the start, Farage has been hugely influential in the policies adopted by UKIP. Indeed, he has been either leader or de facto leader of the party ever since.
All political movements need a figurehead and Farage fulfils that role for UKIP. His energy and passion attract many, particularly the young, and his utilisation of the power of on-line social networking, and especially the online video sharing programme, YouTube, which show his passionate exchanges in the European Parliament to the generally younger viewers.
Without doubt, the fortunes of UKIP are closely linked with the style of leadership and management abilities of Farage, so let us have a look at the history of the party’s ups and downs over the past 17 years.
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Dr. Alan Sked resigned as leader of the party in July 1997 and named the then Party Chairman and Treasurer, Craig Mackinlay, as leader. Mackinlay decided that the only way to keep the party going was to rework its constitution and hold a leadership election. Mackinlay, Gerald Roberts, and Michael Holmes stood, with the backing of Farage. Michael Holmes easily won and appointed Mackinlay as his deputy.
Craig Mackinlay resigned from UKIP in 2005 and joined the Conservative Party. I do not have any information on his reasons for leaving UKIP.
Michael Holmes, having won the leadership election in 1997 was, in the same year, elected as an MEP representing the South West. In the same election Farage was elected as an MEP in the South East. As a result of a power struggle, precipitated by an unfortunate remark by Michael Holmes in the European Parliament, and his dismissal of Craig Mackinlay and Tony Scholefield from the NEC, which generated a vote of no confidence in Holmes, he stepped down as leader in 2000.
However, it should be noted that, under Michael Holmes leadership, the membership of UKIP doubled.
Jeffrey Titford was elected as the new leader of UKIP, beating Rodney Atkinson (brother of the comedian Rowan Atkinson) by 15 votes and, again, Farage had backed the winner.
Many believed that Titford should have appointed Rodney Atkinson as deputy leader or, at least, to a position of responsibility within the party. However, because Rodney Atkinson had exposed Conrad Black (who at that time owned the Telegraph group of newspapers) as a member of the Bilderberg Group, Conrad Black put UKIP under pressure not to appoint Rodney Atkinson to a position of authority within UKIP.
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Greg_L-W. said…
Hi,
largely Derek Hunnikin’s compilation of documents presents facts – there are however areas that are both fancifull and misleading.
It will be noted that I have posted the entire sequence with links to it from the sidebar of:
http://UKIP-vs-EUkip.blogspot.com
so that it can be easily retrieved in future for those seeking source documents.
However a Caveat is provided in the posting by Junius – I quote:
However, because Rodney Atkinson had exposed Conrad Black (who at that time owned the Telegraph group of newspapers) as a member of the Bilderberg Group, Conrad Black put UKIP under pressure not to appoint Rodney Atkinson to a position of authority within UKIP.
Whoever wrote this it is clearly bunkum.
May I commend as one source Robert Gaylon Ross Sr. in his excellent publication of 1994 updated in 1995 Who’s Who of the Elite’
ISBN 0-9649888-0-1
Conrad Black is clearly listed from his first visit to a Bilderberg Meeting as a member and also as a member of The trilateral Commission.
Rodney Atkinson can nopt lay claim to exposing this as it was a well documented and well known fact.
That Bill Jamieson & Christopher Booker as well respected journalists who had ardently supported both the EUroSceptic cause and UKIP Both unequivocally announced they would be unable to support UKIP if Atkinson became leader is clear – it is both fancifull and dishonest to imply this statement was made on the instruction of Black!
As I said I have published the DH compilation though there are some glaring errors – I have done so in good faith as a record of perceived facts as they are quoted.
I endorse the main thrust but clearly it carries errors.
Regards,
Greg_L-W.
Derek HUNNEKIN can always be found as the link in The Right Sidebar in future should you wish to check up on source material.
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Greg Lance - Watkins (Greg_L-W)
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