As I Predicted Mike Nattrass IS Joining The extremist Nationalist & racist EDP! Something of ‘out of the fire & into another’ as Nattrass returns to his roots of the extremist Nationalist & racist New Britain Party he WAS in!
OR NOT as conflicting media stories show!
OR perhaps more aptly – ‘Much ado about nothing’!
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Hi,it is hard to tell who is the most damaged by this liason, whether it is the discreditted and stunningly inept Mike Nattrass, whose command of political savvy has always been apparent or The strangely named extremist nationalist E$nglish Democrat Party.
Nattrass does the hokey cokey with consumate ease as one minute he denounces the odious New Britain Party (now closed down) to join UKIP.
Nattrass then joins with Nigel Farage and is up to his neck in tyhe fiddles and fixes that are so prevalent in the cult he has joined – with his hair trigger temper and foul language Nattrass shows himself to be a bullying yob who had had the good fortune to make money selling out a p[art of his business in the days when building societies were handing out other peoples’ money like drunken sailors to buy into estate agencies, I understand.
Yes Nattrass after years of struggle did make serious money but his subsequent antics have seemingly largely depleted his pot.
He claims to have given around £200,000 to support UKIP but this is again spin as his payments would seem to have been largely to buy his position on the EU gravy train & a lucrative position where clearly very little skill or ability was needed or perhaps more fairly, was ever visible!
Negotiations with the EDP have been ongoing over many years and some time ago he was a speaker at their annual conference, where wiser political heads prevailed talking him out of joining them!
The farce continued with Nattrass’ tireless support for and conivance with the criminal UKIP MEP Tom Wise even after he was found guilty of stealing from the public purse and was sentenced to 2 years in prison!
Nattrass joined the Pan EU EFD Group of holocaust deniers, anti homosexuals, anti Jewish, extremists and violent racists continuing his Hokey Cokey when he followed the moral stance of Nikki Sinclaire and quit the vile group the Farage cult had joined.
It was only when it was rumoured that his wife Joyce had tossed him out of the marital bed & home allegedly for being all t5oo willing to share his bed with others that he made4 the self serving decision to rejoin the EFD – Many believed this was to increase his chances of regaining a lucrative cash flow from the public purse t6o fund his excesses after 2015 once more placed as an MEP by the corrupt UKIP selection scams.
This was not to be after having written his withering excoriation of Farage and his cult when he had firtst resigned from the EFD.
Then we have all seen his ‘antics’ as he threw his toys out of his pram when he realised that the corrupt UKIP process that had worked so well for him in the past getting him elected as an MEP despite his singular lack of talents or ability, which he displayed over many years it wwas now working against him, as he was summarily dumped as a candidate.
Even the timing of his resignation from UKIP was amateurishly botched by seeking publicity on Channel 4 a week too early. His resignation from UKIP was of little significance to Channel 4 but they could not resist the cache of an MEP resigning from the party that had placed him live on air, though they rather botcherd their USP!
Now we have the spectacle of an announcement in a relatively obscure local paper and even that is a day early for any effect on the Farage feste to be held in London on Saturday & Su8nday – when clearly the levers of power could have been pulled to get his announcement on major network news during UKIP’s conference – publicity which as something of a media whore Nattrass clearly craves and his new best friends in the extremist EDP desperately need!
One has to wonder which will inflict the greatest damage on eachother in the long run, the EDP or Nattrass!
MEP Mike Nattrass to join English Democrats Party after quitting UKIP
Mr Nattrass will stand as the EDP’s West Midlands candidate in the European elections next May.
But fellow West Midlands MEP Nikki Sinclaire, also a former UKIP member, slammed his decision to join an “extremist” party.
Robin Tilbrook, the EDP chairman, said: “I am delighted to welcome Mike Nattrass as a member of the English Democrats and look forward to getting him re-elected as an English Democrat MEP.
“Over the coming year Scottish Independence will be in focus as they face the Scottish Independence referendum.
“The English Democrats are England’s equivalent to that party and our conference will debate further one of our key policy proposals, independence for England.”
However, Ms Sinclaire said: “I am saddened to hear that Mike has today joined the English Democrats.
“Since 2010 the English Democrats, have been infiltrated by those deserting the infighting of the BNP, who have been in meltdown since the General Election and now contain and tolerate some of the most undesirable and disgusting people in our society.’’
‘’By joining them, Mike is damaging his legacy and reputation. All his good work will now be overlooked because of the company he has chosen to keep.’’
The English Democrats launched in 2002 and campaigns for St George’s Day to be England’s national holiday; for Jerusalem to be England’s National Anthem; for a Referendum to leave the EU; for an end to mass immigration; for the Cross of St George to be flown on all public buildings in England.
Interestingly even this descends into farce when you read the article below – though I am aware that both Mike Nattrass and his wife Joyce met with the EDP leaders in Solihull to arrange a contract between them.
Interestingly the lunch meeting failed to reach an agreement.
I did say that Nattrass was apparently seeking to muddy the waters!
Time will give a definitive answer to the contradctory reports!
Mike Nattrass denies joining English Democrats after UKIP exit
Mr Nattrass has represented the West Midlands in Europe since 2004
A former deputy leader of the UK Independence Party who quit the party last week has ruled out joining the English Democrats.
Mike Nattrass, a West Midlands MEP, confirmed he would speak at the party’s conference this weekend.
The English Democrats’ chairman, Robin Tilbrook, earlier claimed the ex-UKIP politician would join his party – becoming its first MEP.
Mr Nattrass left UKIP after 15 years in protest at Nigel Farage’s leadership.
He accused his former boss of running a “totalitarian regime” and excluding those who disagreed with him.
‘Delighted’ A press release issued by the English Democrats earlier had suggested Mr Nattrass “wanted” to join the party and would be their lead candidate in the West Midlands in the 2014 Euro elections.
Chairman Mr Tilbrook was quoted saying: “I am delighted to welcome Mike Nattrass as a member of the English Democrats.”
But Mr Nattrass later wrote in an email: “I am not going to join the English Democrats… however I will be speaking at their conference in Leicester on Saturday, on the subject of HS2.”
Mr Tilbrook told the BBC there would still be a major announcement on Saturday, but that he was “not as clear” as he had been on what the announcement would be.
His party campaign for immediate withdrawal from the European Union and for the establishment of an English parliament.
Originally the English National Party when he founded it in 1998, it achieved its first major electoral success when its candidate won the Doncaster mayoral election in 2009
UKIP’s Determination to Self Destruct in Lincolnshire & its Timeline!!
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Hi,this story or parts of it is replicated not only through UKIP’s history as its leadership clique and its claque fight like ferrets in a sack, but also it is replicated across Britain – ensuring UKIP is seen to be unfit for purpose and may account for the catastrophic and consistent failure of the party in domestic elections.
Timeline: The rise and troubles of Lincolnshire UKIP
From winning their first ever 16 seats on Lincolnshire County Council in May, UKIP in Lincolnshire had to deal with racism allegations and suspensions, leading up to the party losing its official opposition status after six councillors split from the party in September. How did it get to this point?
May 3, 2013:UKIP win their first 16 seats for councillors on Lincolnshire County Council in the local elections, as Conservatives lost overall control after winning just 36 seats and Labour won 12 seats. The turnout was just 29% county-wide. In Lincoln the turnout was even lower at 26%.
May 9, 2013: Conservative County Council leader Martin Hill agrees on a coalition to maintain control with Liberal Democrats Reg Shore, John Marriot and Pat O’Connor, and Independents Chris Brewis, Bill Aron and Angela Newton.
May 10, 2013: Chris Pain, UKIP’s East Midlands regional chairman and Wainfleet and Burgh councillor, is voted by fellow party members as the leader of UKIP on Lincolnshire County Council. He nominates Robin Hunter-Clarke and Victoria Ayling as his deputy leaders. UKIP become the second largest group on the council, the majority opposition.
UKIP Councillor Chris Pain. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
May 11, 2013: Chris Pain confidently says he will stand for MP at the next general election for Boston and Skegness against Conservative MP Mark Simmonds, squashing rumours that UKIP leader Nigel Farage will stand there given the party’s success in the area.
May 17, 2013: All 16 UKIP councillors refuse to sign an anti-racism declaration at the County Council annual meeting. The document is meant to ensure all Lincolnshire residents are treated equality and have access to the same services. The motion is passed by 60 other councillors.
May 23, 2013: Lincolnshire Police begin investigating claims that racist comments were posted on the Facebook pages of UKIP Lincolnshire leader Chris Pain and two other UKIP councillors, Alan Jesson and Tiggs Keywood-Wainwright. All three strongly denied making the comments and Chris Pain said his account had been hacked. The issue was brought to police attention by someone from the County Council.
June 4, 2013: Chris Pain is forced to step down from his East Midlands regional chairman role over the alleged racist comments posted on Facebook. UKIP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) said it was holding its judgement on until police complete their investigation. Chris Pain remains leader of the UKIP group on the County Council.
June 12, 2013: Chris Pain insists sanctions imposed on him by UKIP are just a formality while he clears his name and says he submitted an application to stand as an MEP representing the party in next year’s European election.
July 31, 2013: Chris Pain confirms his deputies Victoria Ayling and Robin Hunter-Clarke have been stripped of their roles in the party on the County Council. Councillor Ayling says “There are question marks over the process taken with this,” and that UKIP are investigating the matter. Tattershall Castle Councillor Colin Mair becomes the new deputy.
UKIP Councillor Tiggs Keywood-Wainwright
September 5, 2013: Tiggs Keywood-Wainwright gains the Fenside seat for UKIP on Boston Borough Council with 162 votes. The by-election was called after English Democrats Councillor Eliott Fountain was ousted for not attending any council meetings for over six months.
September 6, 2013: Tiggs Keywood-Wainwright, and Bob McAuley, elected at a by-election in May, form a UKIP group on Boston Borough Council. Former Independent McAuley stood as a UKIP candidate in a by-election in the Staniland South ward following the death of Conservative councillor Paul Mould. He is leader of the new UKIP group with Keywood-Wainwright as deputy leader. These are the first two UKIP seats on Boston Borough Council.
September 9, 2013: Lincolnshire Police drop their investigation into the alleged racist comments from Chris Pain and two other UKIP Lincolnshire councillors. Police say there is a possibility the councillors’ Facebook accounts were hacked, but there was not enough evidence to trace whoever posted the comments. “Fictional police and CSI shows often depict investigations where information in cyberspace can be traced instantly, but the reality is very different,” the force says.
September 10, 2013: Chris Pain is suspended as UKIP leader on the County Council under the emergency powers of the chairman of UKIP, after he wrote a complaint against UKIP national chairman Steve Crowther, which might be subject of legal action. A disciplinary committee will be sitting within the next 10 days for Chris Pain. Deputy Colin Mair is appointed as acting UKIP leader in Lincolnshire.
September 11, 2013: A majority of Lincolnshire UKIP councillors sign a letter of no confidence to County Council chief executive Tony McArdle. With majority written support from his group, Colin Mair takes over as UKIP leader on the council on a temporary basis until a formal election is held. Pain remains a councillor for Wainfleet and Burgh.
September 12, 2013: Chris Pain forms a breakaway group from UKIP, called UKIP Lincolnshire, along with councillor Alan Jesson.
September 13, 2013: Councillors Tiggs Keywood-Wainwright, Richard Fairman, Bob McAuley and John Beaver also join the breakaway UKIP Lincolnshire group, which has in total six seats. UKIP are demoted from the majority opposition on Lincolnshire County Council with only 10 seats left. Labour form the official opposition with 12 of 77 seats in total.
September 18, 2013: Chris Pain is removed from UKIP following a meeting of the party’s emergency disciplinary committee.
lareinaflamenca (signed in using yahoo) “Yet more signs of the stranglehold the current “management” and their appointed cronies are imploding the party from within. UAF reigns supreme. The current “leadership” – and I don’t necessarily mean Farage – is engaged in creating positions for its like minded cronies who make the jibes about UKIP being “far right” look ridiculous.Democracy no longer exists within UKIP. If these people don’t like you, they get rid or make your life a nightmare by using their UAF pals who infest Facebook and Twitter to hack and clone your account – then make up vicious lies about you. There are uneasy allegiances with a group of nutters who go by the name of “EDLnews” – and they are not EDL, they are solely engaged with “outing” people they THINK are ex EDL and BNP, currently proscribed under the party’s constitution. Of course these numpties usually get it all wrong but it just suits their purpose anyway.Wait till the REAL truth comes out soon. Some much less than squeaky clean types – and they are definitely NOT right wingers. Worse still, THEY are the ones making up lies about everyone else to cover their own tracks.” Reply · 3 ·· September 14 at 6:05am
Anna-Marie Crampton · Top Commenter I was one of those that UKIP clearly “didn’t like” and “didn’t fit the mold” when i ran as a candidate in the CC elections in East Sussex last May…
UKIP management’s cronies hacked in to my Facebook account (allegedly), created a ghost or clone account using my name, photograph and my email to access my main account… wrote a whole load of anti semitic rubbish in my name which no thanks to their useless press department, resulted in a nationwide indeed, world wide negative press campaign against me which has carried on over many months.
The last publication that i am aware of, with negative comments related to myself was just a month ago in The Sunday Times!
They deliberately tried to wreck my reputation and standing in the community and possibly make me a target of extremists who assumed (wrongly) that i am anti semitic and a crazed conspiracy theorist… they then, suspended me.
It was a vicious, nasty, reckless and dangerous attempt to discredit me. It was a difficult time but, i weathered it and held my head high.
I still ran in the CC Elections and indeed my colleague and i did incredibly well. Why? Because the local community and indeed UKIP branch members didn’t for one minute believe the negative publicity cooked up by these vicious but incredibly ambitious thugs within UKIP… Shameful.
I have since resigned from UKIP and am convinced that UKIPs upper management were behind this witch hunt. There is no way that UKIP are committed to free speech or democracy. I believe they are just another right wing controlled opposition party who are supporting and abetting the establishment’s agenda.
Some of grassroots remain in denial but, when the truth comes out and it will, they are in for an unpleasant awakening when they realise they have all been well and truly used.. and conned.
There is no loyalty within UKIP, no respect and no thanks for hard work or loyal support by its members, candidates and councillors… in fact, from what i have witnessed first hand, grassroots are lucky to receive so much as the crumbs from management’s table. Reply · 4 ·· September 14 at 8:34am
Claire Khaw · Top Commenter · Satirist at Political Entertainment Anna-Marie Crampton The trouble is that all members of all parties are routinely exploited and abused. Reply ·· September 16 at 12:53pm
Susan Lockwood · Top Commenter · Co founder at Buzzy Bees Cleaning Services Good luck to Chris, always hard working, upfront and instantly likeable. Much to his credit..it’s also helped in his downfall. His only handicap as far as I see it is that he was too popular! Reply · 3 ·· September 15 at 10:50am
The story told, of her experiences, by Anna-Marie Crampton seems to be replicated by that of Gabi Coleman, whose story is,, told elsewhere on this web blog!
The incompetence of UKIP leadership and the internicine squabbling amongst the claque is further displayed by the fact that their misshandling of the squabbling has now spilled into all areas of the press & media as with this article from The BBC:
Lincolnshire UKIP councillor Chris Pain expelled from party
Chris Pain was elected to Lincolnshire County Council in May along with 15 other UKIP councillors
The former leader of UKIP on Lincolnshire County Council has been expelled from the party.
Councillor Chris Pain was removed following a hearing in front of a UKIP: disciplinary panel in London.
Details of the reasons for his expulsion have not been disclosed, but Mr Pain said he was in dispute with party chairman Steve Crowther.
Mr Pain said he “feels sickened” at the way he has been treated and planned to appeal against the decision.
‘Dynamite to crack walnut’ Mr Pain, a councillor for Wainfleet and Burgh, said: “After nine years of hard work, and achieving some of the best results in the history of the party, they are throwing me out.
“It seems like they’ve used a stick of dynamite to crack a walnut.”
He added: “I’ve always thought the party was just and fair – but this raises some grave concerns about the leadership.”
UKIP is yet to comment on the decision to remove Mr Pain.
The party gained 16 seats on Lincolnshire County Council in May, causing the Conservatives to lose overall control and form a coalition with the Liberal Democrats and several independents.
Earlier this month, following suspension by the party, Mr Pain was removed as leader of the group on the county council.
He then formed a breakaway group with five other members under the banner of “UKIP Lincolnshire”.
Councillor Colin Mair, who represents Tattershall Castle, was appointed acting leader in the county.
Writer for Trending Central and Contributing Editor for The Libertarian
Nigel Farage Will Never Be PM:
Why Do People Still Support Ukip?
Posted: 17/09/2013 00:00
Ukip is a spent political force. Despite the seemingly endless news carnival of its rise, the bubble has burst. Much like the idiotic, and entirely unreflected in reality, notion of “Cleggmania” – which gave struggling news channels something to fill up a schedule – the fortunes of Ukip’s leadership coterie will soon crash to Earth once more.
Neil Hamilton, who (as I remarked earlier) is the scandal-oozing shadow of a sleazy Tory past, continues to hang around the National Executive Council like an unbearable odour. He has not been selected for the Party’s candidacy for MEP next year, but he has been promised a “key position” in Ukip’s future organisation. Farage certainly looks after his friends – where have we heard that before?
There is no way that Nigel Farage will ever end up in Downing Street – voters at large do not respond to his boozy bolshiness. But still, pathetically, Ukip supporters pretend that their struggling ‘movement’ has a long term political future.
Ukip has had its share of scandals; with fascist would be councillors, a starting stifling of free speech in its youth organisation, general – hysterical – duplicity in immigration statistics, and insane budgetary predictions. Despite this, enamoured obsessives continue to people online message boards, chanting almost as one: “Ukip is the only way!” and other moronic sentiments to that effect.
All of this support will be useless anyway. In the end, the new socially liberal Tories will surpass Ukip at the next general election. People do not want to live in the country Ukip ceaselessly promotes; and perhaps when ‘kippers realise this, they might put their efforts towards something of actual importance, and stop trying so enthusiastically to hand Ed Miliband the keys to Number Ten.
Another instance of collective ignorance within Ukip is that relating to the Exchequer. Supporters do not seem to realise that their party of choice would bankrupt the nation. This is in direct contrast to all of the opportunistic talk about fiscal ‘common sense’ – and cutting government spending. Ukip accounting not only makes Farage and co. look economically illiterate, but also downright hypocritical to boot.
If “common sense” means endorsing all of the ugliest and nastiest prejudices of the “common man”, then Ukip can be seen to be doing a fine old job. Sexist monstrosity (and celebrated drunk) Godfrey Bloom has been at it again, this time describing the places to which we give aid as ‘Bongo Bongo Land’.
What is particularly revealing about the clip, is that, despite the supposed humorous intent of Mr. Bloom’s remark, no one (even in a room full of Ukip voters) laughed at his quip about the grasping foreigners. So not only is he someone who considers ethnic stereotyping to be reasonable in modern political discourse, he is also an awful raconteur.
But pledging a massive increase in things like defence spending, and then promising to pay for it all by scraping popular bogeymen like the department responsible for our reaction to climate change (which is of course “a myth”), or the terrifying prospect of international development aid, and obviously the ubiquitous but unnamed quangos, is not economic policy. It is in fact squalid and unsustainable populism, aided immensely by the number of credulous voters out there, and also the fact that this drivel will never actually be put to the test.
The Ukip vote thrives on ignorance. It helps that few people seem to know about the elite past of the Dulwich College-educated Farage, or the fact that Hamilton appeared in pantomime after his disastrous stint as an MP. It helps that people don’t seem to know that Ukip is economical with the truth of migration statistics, and their plans for the financial future of the nation.
It certainly helps that Ukip members don’t seem to know who isolated the actually are in British politics: isolated from the libertarians with whom they self-identify, and isolated from a good deal of the salt of the Earth, ordinary-bloke-down-the-pub sorta guys party strategists moon over.
In reality, Ukip is a political con trick, to believe that it has any sustainable political future after 2015 takes more of a sense of humour than I can credit men like Farage – who, in spite of the faux bonhomie is more calculating than most seem to think. He knows, in short, that he has no chance – and so hopes to push fearful Tories into a rapid lurch to the far-Right, before the curtain falls away, and the shocked audience discover he has made off with the rabbit, and Bloom has ensnared the glamorous assistant.
An Incisive Analysis of UKIP by AutonomousMinds featuring the meeting at Telford to promote the MEP candidacy of Jill Seymore, who has in the past made it very clear that she would be far out of her depth as an MEP which is almost impossible to disagree with but then again there is no one on the list for the West Midlands who offers any hope or signs of competence – largely in keeping with the rest of The Farage cult’s candidates!!
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Hi,
I found this article a well presented summary of many views which I share:
This should be of concern to every person who wants the UK to leave the EU
On 5th September, UKIP held what it described as its biggest ever rally as 900 people gathered to listen to Nigel Farage and others speak.
The event received a write up in the Shropshire Star, which covered the key points made by the speakers. Those people who have looked or will look at the report in the expectation of seeing some red meat on the subject of withdrawal from the EU and plans for how such an exit can be delivered, can be forgiven for feeling some disappointment. The report shows the EU barely warranted a mention, and when it did it wasn’t Farage talking about it.
Being a curious sort, this prompted me to have a discussion about it with a highly placed source in the party. They confirmed that EU matters were only mentioned in passing, but more revealingly explained that after the event Farage was delighted that the focus on the biggest political issue affecting the UK – membership of the EU and its consequences – was minimal. It wasn’t an accident, it was by design.
While David Cameron talked the talk in imploring his Conservative members to stop ‘banging on about Europe’, Farage is walking the walk by doing just that.
Previous insights provided to me by well placed UKIP sources, one of whom has just landed on the party’s MEP candidate list for next year’s elections, asserted that Farage is more interested in building a rival to the Conservatives in the hope of splitting that party and capturing a segment of it, than pushing for an exit from the EU. The new focus on emulating the targeted campaign approach used by the Liberal Democrats, in order to win a few seats rather than putting resources into all constituencies, confirms their assessments.
But what should cause even more concern for withdrawal realists – who understand leaving the EU while preserving the UK’s commercial interests requires a structured approach where Article 50 is invoked and agreement is reached on the relationship the UK will have with the EU after departure, before the European Communities Act (ECA) is repealed – is my source’s confirmation that Farage sees such a negotation as time consuming and an opportunity for EU meddling. Farage, who has carefully straddled the fence in public by not siding for or against the Article 50 route despite a clear split in his party on the matter, in private advocated the scorched earth approach of leaving first and trying to negotiate something after, which would leave UK commercial interests at serious risk of damage.
This represents a serious threat to an ‘out’ campaign in any future referendum on EU membership. The withdrawalists would come under incessant attack from the business community which would only look kindly on withdrawal if they could be assured their interests would be protected after the UK leaves the EU. The Farage approach does not and cannot give that assurance. In the meantime, Farage will not let UKIP announce its policy and approach for fear it will alienate a substantial number of UKIP members and will see the party exposed to (justified) attack from the Europhiles who will seize on such naive stupidity with alacrity.
What this demonstrates is that, once again, a political party created to achieve a particular end has compromised itself to service internal party maintenance and management. As Norway showed during its referendum campaign on EU membership, a non party political campaign is the only way of ensuring the objectives are not watered down or jettisoned in favour of a party’s interests.
By way of a closing thought, if you think it is ridiculous that an anti EU party such as UKIP could be pulled off to focus on other things at the whim of its leader in this way, then consider for yourself the evidence that Farage is reversing from EU matters as part of his dream of being a British MP and leading a party in Parliament. In the Evening Standard we see Tony Blair getting substantial space to set out yet another FUD-laden argument against withdrawing from the EU. You would think the UKIP leader and by definition the supposed leader of the Eurosceptic movement would be all over this, exposing the misrepresentation, falsehoods and errors in Blair’s and numerous others that have been published in recent weeks and months.
You would think Farage would be demanding a right of reply to set the record straight – or at the very least shotuing loudly that he is being denied a platform. There is still no counter to this prolonged Europhile line of attack in the media, and certainly nothing rebutting it on the UKIP website. But Farage did somehow find time to be quoted at length in the Daily Express on High Speed Rail 2… he didn’t even mention the EU origins of the project in order to create a high speed rail network across the union. I’ll leave it to Farage’s vocal band of supporters to explain how this focus does anything to develop public support for withdrawal from the EU or move us foward on the journey to successfully leaving the union at a time the Europhiles are working the public and winning them over to supporting continued membership.
The implications of this are clear. The Eurosceptic movement is not being helped by UKIP because Farage’s agenda means he has other fish to fry. The campaign is weaker as a result. UKIP should be a standard bearer, it should be the flag ship of the ‘out’ campaign. But under Farage it has relegated itself to the position of day-tripping passenger on a support vessel. Do UKIP’s members realise what’s happening, or do they even care?
16 Responses to “This should be of concern to every person who wants the UK to leave the EU”
That really turns UKIP into a bed-blocker. Far from educating the voting public at large, Farage isn’t even reaching his own members. This is the response of a branch chairman to a question on UKIP’s policy to Art 50:
“My understanding is that Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty is designed to prevent the sheep leaving the fold. We must leave on our own terms, even though we know the technocrats will try to make it as difficult as they can”.
I suppose, though, that if this is the level of ignorance in the party, it is better if UKIP keep away from EU issues and leaves them to the grown-ups.
It’s a fork – bank on about the EU and stay on the outside, quieten down on that subject in order to increase your vote and get accused of abandoning your principles. The question is, do you really think Farage has given up Brexit as a goal?
A couple of points. Where is the sense in going quiet on the EU just as the ‘in’ campaign is dominating the debate? And surely the question to ask is if Farage has Brexit as a goal, what is he doing to bring it about? Finding evidence to support his exit credentials is getting harder all the time. I believe he is leaving EU withdrawal behind for personal reasons.
In answer to your question, I think Farage will do anything that helps him realise his ambition. If that means turning UKIP into just another mainstream party to help him into Westminster, then I have no doubt he would do whatever suits him.
The reality of the hustings may have been overlooked in this piece. Connecting with the voter and backing up the EU withdrawal case with other policies that appeal is important and probably necessary to attract votes.
It works like this, “That Nigel Farage who wants the UK to leave the EU, well he talks a lot of sense on HS2 (etc. etc. etc.), so maybe he’s onto something when it comes to Europe”.
Furthermore the complexities of withdrawal, via Article 50 or indeed any other means, will remain opaque until the process of withdrawal begins. No one in Brussels or London ever imagined Article 50 would ever be used in anger. Nobody, whether that be the Commission, Council or indeed UKIP can second guess this one. It is simply uncharted territory.
This is not to say that this issue should not be discussed, and that the possible options, mechanisms and pitfall analysed; but I suggest that for Mr. Farage to publicly raise this issue, at the present juncture, would be both foolish, unnecessary and counter productive.
First we ideally need the settled will of the people to be firmly in favour of withdrawal and for that to be demonstrated democratically and unequivocally. At this point the UK will presumably play its hand (badly or otherwise).
However, today we are not even sure if Lisbon will be politically or even legally the most important Treaty. Indeed if Cameron’s timetable is followed, it does seem possible that by 2018 a fully federalised Eurozone could be in-place (assuming that insolvency and civil unrest hasn’t put paid to the centralist agenda). This may well change the dynamic in Europe so that it is a new Treaty, not Lisbon, that federalists will rally around.
The criticism of Mr. Farage’s strategy is rather harsh, his job is to attract voters and at this stage not to inform them about the technicalities of the possible mechanisms of withdrawal. This is made especially so at this time when even the most prescient would be hard pressed to offer a credible forecast as to how things might actually pan out.
In light of that Farage, and UKIP’s over all approach of weakening the Conservative Party in its Europhile form at least (and of course to a lesser extent the others) and raising UKIP’s profile on EU and non-EU policy areas is working. So much so that even the President of the United States (whilst remaining philosophically a Europhile) raised the Referendum issue on the steps of the White House. It is UKIP’s rise that has forced the issue onto the agenda. So far their strategy not only looks relatively successful, it is also the only democratic game in town.
That does not mean those with more in-depth knowledge should not continue to debate, explore, and advise on the consequences, mechanisms and possible outcomes. Or that UKIp’s approach should not be criticised, as it has been consistently done on this site and at both a credible and intellectually coherent level .
Never-the-less there comes a time, especially as support and electoral success increase, when the politics of analysis and election separate.
The most important thing is votes cast in the direction of the UK’s withdrawal. With those votes comes moral authority, a force that may prove to be more powerful than Article 50, or indeed any other piece of ill thought out EU legislation (for in reality Lisbon was never designed to be a Treaty but a law within which the powers and functions of the EU were re-codified and increased).
It seems not unlikely that if, when and indeed how the UK leaves the EU, will be most influenced by the number of votes UKIP can attract in 2014 and the threat to repeat any success in 2015 and then ultimately on the size of any majority in favour of exit, should an IN/OUT be held and won.
It would seem that without UKIP none of this would be even a faint possibility. I might add that I am not a UKIP member, but it seems to me that you are asking them to jump a relatively distant fence when the electorate are still undecided at the water jump.
I am sure AT is right in all that he (and Richard North similarly) says about and criticises UKIP/Farage. For me, Farage has provided a valuable service in promoting EUscepticism and having brought it or helped to bring it to public attention. The success of UKIP now gives concern to the Conservatives and others and it was Farage with his tub-thumping who largely achieved this. For this I am appreciative.
But that, I know, does not mean he has the ability to lead a mainstream parliamentary party. The difficulty is that we have no alternative at this stage. Just for whom do I vote in the coming European elections and in the subsequent UK GE? None of the main 3 parties is worth considering so it just leaves UKIP or my not voting at all.
If AT or others have any helpful suggestions. my thanks in advance.
However, the view you take depends on how much faith you have in Farage’s initial intent and then steadfastness to remain true to UKIPs primary purpose of leaving he EU.
I think Leo has put more strategic thought into one post than Farage has into one year of UKIP activity.
People don’t seem to grasp that Farage’s priorities are Nigel Farage and money.
Leo’s argument reminds me of the hundreds of comments on Conservative Home arguing Cameron was only pretending to be a social democrat Europhile and that once in power he would suddenly reveal his inner conservative. We all know what happened there. Why suppose Farage has any more depth than Cameron?
Yes, I was thinking about Cameron the supposed eurosceptic wolf in europhile sheep’s clothing, playing his cards close to his chest. He turned out to be a sheep and a lot of us thought he was nothing else from the outset.
Being a political party carries temptations and compromises.
In UKIP’s case it was argued that if they got MEPs they’d ‘go native’ and there’s certainly an argument to be made for that.
In the case of representation at Westminster, especially with no immediate prospect of power, there has to be the temptation to fit in with the social-democratic consensus and occupy the LibDem niche of being a general protest party – and letting the question of leaving the EU fade into the background.
Most UKIP supporters are I fear politically naive so it is not that they don’t care it is that they just simply don’t know or haven’t worked out what makes Nigel tick.
“…For me, Farage has provided a valuable service in promoting EUscepticism and having brought it or helped to bring it to public attention. The success of UKIP now gives concern to the Conservatives and others and it was Farage with his tub-thumping who largely achieved this…..”
Well, you’re not wrong. Farage has, to an extent {promoted] EU-scepticism, but what has he done to advance it?
Can you name a single crowning achievement of any UKIP MEP since 2009?
No, neither can I.
No MPs, some county councillors (unless disgraced and resigned), sabotaged mayoral and London Assembly elections… at what point do you wake up and realise it’s a personality cult?
Thanks for the response. I do not take issue with anything you have said but I still have no answer as to how I should vote in forthcoming elections – who else but UKIP?
I vote for them as by far the least worst remotely credible option, but I don’t believe in them as it were. They’re a political party and while we’re stuck with electing one team or another of dictators, there’s no reason to believe UKIP are immune to the forces which made LibLabCon what they are.
Actually, I don’t even see LibLabCon as elected dictators, more like the current suit worn by the permanent government of civil service, local government, the EU, NGOs, QUANGOs etc., all untouched by elections every five years. The answer I’d say, is some measure of direct democracy where political parties are much reduced in their role, and we’d be far less likely to have the likes of Blair and Cameron taking very unpopular and far-reaching actions on a whim or for completely self-serving reasons.
The other problem we have is the major players in the political party game having a gentlemens’ agreement not to address certain issues of wide concern, and then fighting over a middle-ground which they feel comfortable with. Is it heretical to suggest that UKIP could be drawn into this if they had enough tribal support?
Most (enter political party) supporters are I fear politically naive so it is not that they don’t care it is that they just simply don’t know or haven’t worked out what makes (enter first name of leader) tick.
Admittedly, we do expect far higher standards of UKIP, notionally the outsiders seeking radical change.
Chris Pain Cleared by Police of racism, what now for UKIP and particularly the centralised power of their risible claims to be Libertarian? This should leave Steve Crowther & Nigel Farage in some embarrassment at their rapid willingness to exploit the situation to suit their own ends!!
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Hi,
in the light of the MP3 phone recording of facts relative to UKIP leadership’s actions in blocking & barring Chris Pain, as reported on this web log, this police outcome would seem to leave UKIP leadership in some difficulty particularly Steve Crowther and his puppet master Nigel Farage.
This exacerbates the very real cause for embarrassment surrounding the rigging of selection processes!
Police to take ‘no further action’ over UKIP racism allegations
Chris Pain
Lincolnshire Police say there will be ‘no further action’ taken against members of UKIP that were accused of making racist posts on the internet.
Officers have been carrying out investigations in the past few months into members of UKIP, including county leader Chris Pain.
The allegations included complaints that they posted comments, including those of a racist nature, on to social media sites, such as Facebook, and ‘caused or reinforced racial hatred’.
Coun Pain won the Wainfleet and Burgh ward at May’s Lincolnshire County Council elections and leads the UKIP opposition group. He will stand to try to become Boston and Skegness MP at the 2015 General Election.
Although the investigation largely centred on alleged posts made by Coun Pain, The Standard understands material from Coun Keywood-Wainwright – who won a by-election in Fenside last week – was also looked at.
A senior detective has reviewed the evidence and decided that no further action will be taken by police against either Mr Pain or the other UKIP members accused.
A spokesman said: “Lincolnshire Police take all allegations of hate crime extremely seriously and, where appropriate, will refer these matters to the Crown Prosecution Service, who, in our experience, take an equally serious stance.
“Police are reliant on there being a sufficient amount of evidence, of a quality which would support a decision to prosecute anyone suspected of carrying out crimes of this nature.
“When dealing with internet based activity there has to be an audit trail which enables us to prove the person who is suspected of displaying information on the Web is actually the person pressing the computer keys.
“There are many factors which make such an investigation very complex. Officers must work with the powers granted under specific legislation and, where the servers and the administration of the sites falls outside the United Kingdom, the police and other enforcement agencies are often unable to obtain the relevant information needed to prove who placed comments or information on one of the sites. This is particularly the case with the main social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook.
“In the world of increasingly technical equipment and expertise, it is always possible for false profiles to be created and information to be posted on a user’s account without their knowledge.
“In such cases, it is very difficult for police to trace the origins of the information and to be sufficiently certaint that the person alleged to be displaying some comment or information actually did so.”
Lincolnshire Police DI Andy Wardell said: “This problem is exacerbated when the social network account is closed by an individual who has either become aware or is directly made aware by someone that comments have been seen and the informant is going to contact the police.
“Fictional police and CSI shows often depict investigations where information in cyber space can be traced instantly but the reality is very different.
“Therefore, if any person discovers information displayed or comments posted to social networking sites which they feel are racist ,or made with the intent of stirring up racism, they should inform the police immediately and not post responses or enter into dialect with the individual believed to have made such racist comments.
“Doing so will inevitably result in the comments being removed and the account closed making it impossible to achieve a satisfactory result with any investigation.”
In UKIP Prof. Alan Sked was Out ManEUvered by Nigel Farage BUT! There are many such ‘buts’ such as but he has been bitter about it ever since, but his interventions since have been self serving ego trips and destructive nihilism, but Farage may be devious and underhand as a rival but he is no leader, merely a performer!!
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Hi,
the bitter inadequacy of Alan Sked may well be understandable but no one shows more clearly the old adage of ‘All political careers end in failure’.
Having lost control of the party he founded he has spent since 1997 trying to destroy it when others, like myself who support his founding principle of Leave-The-EU and are thus supporters of UKIP, have relentlessly endeavoured to support UKIP by seeking to clean it up, erradicate the corruption and centralisation of power and authority in one man and his claque and make the party fit for purpose.
That it is clear that since defeating Alan Sked Nigel Farage has centralised control and excercised it himself is meerely indicative that he was the stronger individual whether with or without integrity!
Just as Alan Skedd endeavoured to dictate and manipulate the party to fit his ambitions so also has Nigel Farage since he seized control, following on in the same mold as Alan Akedd, his intellectual mentor and rival for 4 years!
UKIP, by dropping itys standards and encouraging populism over responsibility, popularity as a substitute for leadership has taken advantage of the demise of the BNP and swelled its membership and supporters but has ensured its eventual demise by rejecting gravitas and detailed intellectual persuit of the goal to Leave-The-EU bowing to the small minded pressure of forming, or at least trying to form, policies in areas where it has no sign of competence or credibility.
UKIP has consigned itself to being little more than the dustbin into which protest votes are consigned – hence the success in EU elections, seen as irrelevant by the electorate at large, and its abject failure in domestic poluitics where it is no closer, in real terms, to having an MP elected and has a mere 140 councillors and almost 1,700 failure who stood for office and failed – as in all competition who came second or 22nd. is of no interest a week after the election!
Clearly the UKIP of Alan Skedd did not succeed, largely because it was too rigidly controlled to suit the views and beliefs of Alan Sked – Just as UKIP has failed to make the grade under Nigel Farage’s leadership, albeit a defacto leadership of Farage when he was not the stated leader!
Sked’s aim to launch a new party is little more than an act of ego and he clearly has little or no understanding of the fears of ‘the common man’ when confronted with rapid social changes whish as so often have bred rezsentment, whether rational or not.
It is indisputable that UKIP under Farage’s leadership due to its attempts at growth through populism and its association with the extremists in the EU within the undeniably racist, extremist, anti homosexual and xenophobic EFD Group numerous of whom have criminal convictions for their extreme views and prejudices.
There is no doubt that immigration should face some form of intelligent control, not on racial grounds but on both need and capacity to absorbe the alien influx.
Skedd has missed the point and Farage has overstated it giving solace to the corrupt, the racists and the small minded amongst his party’s members and voters!
Sked stands less chance of winning a seat in Doncaster against the odious Ed Miliband, as an MP, than Farage did in Buckingham against John Bercow, where he was soundly drubbed!
It is also debatable whether Sked was speaking of himself when he said: These are the tired and false representations of a disappointed man.’
Probably not or he forgot to mention ego and embittered revenge for his failure in 1997!
I believe Sked’s claim that he left UKIP as it had become too racist is fundamentally untrue and a convenient cover invented long after the event which led to his departure ‘he lost control of the party he foumnded to Nigel Farage whose manipulative skills and devious charm as a performer outstripped his own overly academic rigidity based on the Sked ego as a ‘teacher’ where he proved incompetent in the adult world of back stabbing and greed!
‘I left UKIP because it has become too racist,’ says party’s founder
Professor Alan Sked, 66, says New Deal can challenge major parties
Believes most of the country are against the EU but UKIP is ‘too extreme’
New organisation would be tolerant of minorities and support immigration
PUBLISHED: 11:15, 8 September 2013 | UPDATED: 11:41, 8 September 2013
The founder of UKIP has set up a new Eurcosceptic organisation for those who feel his old party have become ‘racist’.
Professor Alan Sked, 66, hopes the centre-left party, called New Deal, is a step away from the set-up under Nigel Farage, which he believes has become ‘anti-immigrant and ‘anti-intellectual.’
He also hopes to challenge the Labour Party and has considered opposing Ed Miliband in his Doncaster seat at the 2015 General Election.
New direction: Professor Alan Sked in 1993 when he launched The UK Independence Party.
Some of the policies the organisation will push include the rationalisation of railways and the scrapping of the bedroom tax.
He also believes many voters in Britain want to leave with the EU, but will not side with UKIP because they are too extreme.
His criticism of Farage’s party began after a number of council candidates were exposed for having extreme right-wing links or homophobic views.
The new party could pose significant threat to Labour as leader Ed Miliband faces increasing criticism for weak leadership and being vague on policy.
There are also plans for a candidate to stand against deputy prime minister Nick Clegg in his Sheffield constituency.
Competition: Professor Alan Sked thinks UKIP have become too ‘racist’ under the leadership of Nigel Farage (left) and has considered standing against Ed Miliband in his Doncaster seat at the next General Election
Sked, a lecturer in international history at the London School of Economics, told The Sunday Times he wanted a party dedicated to leaving the EU but was not too right wing.
‘I think the majority of the people in this country want out of the EU,’ said Sked.
‘They would like a party devoted to the cause, but couldn’t vote for one that was extremely right wing.
‘They will now be given a serious alternative to the major parties and UKIP.’
Despite plans from David Cameron to renegotiate the terms of Britain’s membership of the EU, Sked believes the Conservative leader is ‘trying to pull the wool over the eyes’ of the country and his party.
The name New Deal is based on policies introduced in the United States by President Franklin D Roosevelt in the 1930’s to lift America out of the Great Depression.
The party’s draft manifesto states tolerance for minorities and is supportive of immigration which it believes is ‘fundamental to the growth of an economically prosperous and civilised society’.
Other new deal policies will include the ending of welfare payments for those earning more than £100,000 a year, oppose the privatisation of Royal Mail and scrap the government’s controversial high-speed rail plans.
It was officially registered as a party last week by the Electoral Commission and intends to field candidates at the 2015 General Election.
But, in contrast to UKIP, it will not be standing in European elections because Sked believed it would be ‘hypocritical’.
Sked pointed out that when he founded UKIP, it had very limited financial resources and is ready to raise funds to help boost the new party.
His first involvement in politics was with the Liberal Party in Scotland but later rejected their pro-European stance.
In 1993 he stood in two by-elections, one in Newbury where he was supported by Enoch Powell.
He came fourth behind the major parties in both elections which prompted the Anti Federalist League (AFL) to change its name to UKIP.
Last month Godfrey Bloom, UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, provoked outrage after referring to countries in Africa which received aid from Briatin ‘Bongo Bongo land’.
Sked added: ‘These are the tired and false representations of a disappointed man.’
The party, which has been led by Farage since 2010, denies being racist or anti-immigrant.
A spokesman for the party said: ‘Alan should be pleased with how well we are doing and the successes of the party he created.’
UKIP Will Do ANYTHING for Publicity It Seems! They may get publicity but clearly get used in return as they offer a home to ANYONE regardless of the reasons!
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Hi,
all too often one hears from the low lifes who pose as spokesmen for UKIP that there is no such thing as bad publicity – one notes how often these spokespeople hide their unpleasant and ill informed self seeking stupidity behind anonymity with false names and lies!
Lord Beaverbrook as a multi Millionaire press baron may well have been in a position to believe his comment but the amount of bad publicity UKIP gets is repeatedly showing them for what they are – a self serving clique seeking enrichment and status and as so often happens with dishonest people seeking their own gains they get demeaned and used!
UKIP has sadly failed on almost every count in domestic politics and seems to have only acted as a magnet for those seeking their own glory and as a dustbin in which to place protest votes.
Yes UKIP membership has finally regained that which they achieved back in the days of Roger Knapmann’s leadership Steve Harrand even that was based on the lies and false promises made by Nigel Farage to dupe Robert Kilroy Silkn into membership which gained huge publicity and a downgrading of the standards of its membership.
Let us not forget that Boys Own as a mere pop group had the same number of paid up fans as UKIP has members –
The lack of professionalism and the obvious determination of its star performer to drive anyone who might be a challenge to him out of the party and surround himself with low grade over paid ingrates is all too clear!
With endless poor publicity and incompetent leadership UKIP is going nowhere and after 20 years they still have no coherent strategy, no visible tactics, no clear plan and have still failed to present a viable UK exit and survival strategy when it comes to The EU.
UKIP will never be of consequence until it makes good the shortfall and professionalises rather than organising a revolving door of people joining the party in the hope of professionalising it and quitting in yet another series of bad publicity when they realise just how corrupt, how racist and how self serving are its leadership and its odious cronies.
UKIP pair undecided about their future
POLITICAL CHANGE … South Tyneside councillors Steve Harrison, Linda Hemmer and George Elsom when they defected to UKIP with, from back left, regional UKIP Richard Elvin and deputer leader Paul Nuttall.
Coun George Elsom, official opposition leader on South Tyneside Council, last week announced he was leaving UKIP, which he only joined this summer in order to smash Labour’s political power stranglehold in the borough.
Now Steve Harrison and Linda Hemmer have revealed they have not made their minds up about standing for UKIP – or any other political party – at local elections in 2014 and 2015.
Although still “committed” to supporting UKIP, which they joined at the start of June, both say they are still considering their future political options.
And both councillors, who represent the Fellgate and Hedworth ward in Jarrow, say they “understand” the reasons Coun Elsom quit UKIP.
Coun Harrison said: “George dipped his toe in the water and decided that he didn’t like aspects of UKIP, and Linda and I respect that.
“But we joined UKIP because we were able to maintain our political independence and because there is no whip on local councillors with the party, as there is with Labour.
“Linda and I still consider ourselves independents. It’s always been about serving the local people in our ward, never about party politics.
“We can call on the power of UKIP on bigger issues, but there has never been any interference from the party at local level.”
Coun Harrison was a Labour Party member for 12 years, but quit in 2003, after becoming “disillusioned” with the party.
Pressed to say if he will stand as a UKIP candidate in South Tyneside next year, Coun Harrison said: “I would have to go through the proper selection process and it hasn’t got to that stage yet.
“It’s not simply that I haven’t decided I won’t stand for UKIP, but that I haven’t decided I will stand for re-election at all.”
But both councillors are still backing UKIP, which will hold a recruitment meeting at the Little Haven Hotel, in River Drive, South Shields, at 7pm on Tuesday.
Coun Hemmer said: “I haven’t decided if I’m even standing for election in two years’ time.
“Being a councillor is a difficult role and I cannot say what the future holds.
“I understand George’s reasons for leaving UKIP and respect those reasons, but all three of us will still work together as independent councillors.
“Steve and I are still independent councillors, but operating under the umbrella of UKIP.
“But as I’ve said before, I don’t do party politics – I do people – and UKIP puts no party whip on us.
“I left Labour because I was disgusted with the party and remain disgusted over issues such as the closure of Queens Road Day Centre in Jarrow.
“But I don’t know if I’m standing as a candidate for any party in 2015.”
Coun Elsom, who represents the Cleadon Park ward, in South Shields, denied that joining UKIP was “a mistake”.
He said he quit because he did not believe membership would help bolster the political opposition in the borough, for the greater good of the people of South Tyneside.
Mike Nattrass’ Efforts to Expose UKIP Corruption now feature in The Mirror! One of the comments was amusing ‘Another picture of Farage drinking. Friggin hell doesn’t he ever stop?’!
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UKIP leader Nigel Farage under pressure as own MEP threatens legal showdown
It added: “I’m concerned the party brand will be tarnished, even holed below the water line, by his monopoly of power.”
A source said: “Nigel has a long memory for people who have crossed him.”
Last week UKIP was in chaos when chief executive Will Gilpin stepped down after just eight months. He launched a devastating attack on Farage, accusing him of running a party of “enthusiastic amateurs having a good time rather than the professional fighting team they could be”.
It is thought Farage wants to replace Gilpin with ex-Tory MP turned Ukipper Neil Hamilton.
Nattrass has emailed supporters saying: “There has been no reason given for my exclusion from the selection process.” He denies failing “a head-shrinking test”, saying: “I never took one and the shrinks who missed me were the lucky ones.”
Carl Humphries, the Chair of Worcester UKIP branch, is also backing Nattrass. He emailed: “I’m amazed and disappointed to find Mike’s name is not on the list of approved candidates.
UKIP said: “We don’t comment on unsuccessful candidates.”
Those Chosen to be UKIP MEP candidates SO FAR! Despite a poll of members of UKIP yet to come the final list will be drawn up at the last minute next year in accord with the wishes of Nigel Farage (See UKIP Constitution!)!!
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Hi,
although UKIP presented its list of candidate MEPs on 17-Aug-2013 it seemed so irrelevant that I have only just got around to publishing it!
UKIP just published a tedious and uninformative list, almost as if they wished to hide the facts from their beguilled followers & the claque, so I have picked up a few more facts for you!
The following people are our candidates for MEP selection and will be voted for by the membership. Ballot papers go out at the end of August an the voting closes on September 20.
England
Nigel Farage Paul Nuttall Janice Atkinson Patrick O’Flynn Stuart Agnew Ray Finch Jonathan Arnott Roger Helmer Paul Oakley Gerard Batten Godfrey Bloom Margot Parker Tim Aker Andrew Smith Michael McManus Jill Seymour Gawain Towler Julia Reid Louise Bours Michael Heaver Andrew McNeilis Jane Collins John Tennant Phil Henrick Jonathan Bullock Diane James Jason Smith Bill Etheridge Amjad Bashir Anthony Brown Elizabeth Jones Shneur Odze Tony McIntyre James Carver William Dartmouth Lawrence Webb Keith Crawford Alastair McFarlane Steven Woolfe Michael Wrench Michael Green Peter Whittle Robert Smith Lee Slaughter Nigel Jones Mike Hookem Peter Harper Simon Strutt Simon Noble
Andy Monk
Patricia Culligan
Alan Stevens
Mick McGough
Lyndon Jones
Donna Edmunds
Barry Mahoney
Barry Cooper
Nigel Wickens
Gary Shores
Richard Elvin
Scotland
DavidCoburn Mike Scott-Hayward Christopher Monckton Otto Inglis Paul Henke Malcolm Macaskill Ross Durance Steve McKeane Kevin Newton
Wales
Nathan Gill James Cole
Gareth Dunn
David Rowlands
Caroline Jones
Martyn Ford
Brian Morris
Let us break this down into EU regions to make it more intelligible.
Though even this listing is before a NATIONAL vote on Regional issues!
It is before Nigel Farage through his muppets & puppets on HIS engineered NEC has parachuted in a few more drinking buddies and chums at the last minute and selected the order HE wants for each region – as is his perogative as a result of the all too apparently rigged vote on Constitutional amendments to make him effectively the dictator in his very own centralised and authoritarian party where Libertarian would seem to interpret as libertine or louche!
Eastern – shortlist Patrick O’Flynn
Stuart Agnew
Tim Aker
Andrew Smith
Michael Heaver
Andy Monk
Mick McGough
East Midlands – shortlist Roger Helmer
Margot Parker
Jonathan Bullock
Barry Mahoney
Nigel Wickens London – shortlist Paul Oakley
Gerard Batten
Andrew McNeilis
Anthony Brown
Elizabeth Jones
Lawrence Webb
Alastair McFarlane
Peter Whittle North East – shortlist Jonathan Arnott
John Tennant
Richard Elvin North West – shortlist Paul Nuttall
Michael McManus
Louise Bours
Shneur Odze
Steven Woolfe
Lee Slaughter
Peter Harper
Simon Noble South East – shortlist Nigel Farage
Janice Atkinson
Ray Finch
Diane James
Nigel Jones
Simon Strutt
Patricia Culligan
Alan Stevens
Donna Edmunds
Barry Cooper South West – shortlist Gawain Towler
Julia Reid
Tony McIntyre
William Dartmouth
Keith Crawford
Robert Smith West Midlands – shortlist Jill Seymour
Phil Henrick
Bill Etheridge
James Carver
Michael Wrench
Michael Green
Lyndon Jones Yorks & N Lincs – shortlist Godfrey Bloom
Jane Collins
Jason Smith
Amjad Bashir
Mike Hookem
Gary Shores Scotland – shortlist David Coburn
Mike Scott-Hayward
Christopher Monckton
Otto Inglis
Paul Henke
Malcolm Macaskill
Ross Durance
Steven McKeane
Kevin Newton Wales – shortlist Nathan Gill
James Cole
Gareth Dunn
David Rowlands
Caroline Jones
Martyn Ford
Brian Morris
Lack lustre and bereft of gravirtas or character as the list may be and with several notable individuals notable for their ignorance, ill manners, temper tantrums, stupidity and either alcohol or sexual abuses and perversions:
Let us make the list even more intelligible with the actual results (marks) apportioned at the interview/selection stage!
Eastern – shortlist Patrick O’Flynn – 87
Stuart Agnew – 86
Tim Aker – 81
Andrew Smith – 81
Michael Heaver – 78
Andy Monk – 71
Mick McGough – 70
East Midlands – shortlist Roger Helmer – 85
Margot Parker – 81
Jonathan Bullock – 77
Barry Mahoney – 69
Nigel Wickens – 68
London – shortlist Paul Oakley – 83
Gerard Batten – 82
Andrew McNeilis – 78
Anthony Brown – 75
Elizabeth Jones – 75
Lawrence Webb – 74
Alastair McFarlane – 74
Peter Whittle – 72
North East – shortlist Jonathan Arnott – 85
John Tennant – 78
Richard Elvin – 67
North West – shortlist Paul Nuttall – 89
Michael McManu – 80s
Louise Bours – 79
Shneur Odze – 75
Steven Woolfe – 73
Lee Slaughter – 72
Peter Harper – 71
Simon Noble – 71
South East – shortlist Nigel Farage – 97
Janice Atkinson – 88
Ray Finch – 85
Diane James – 76
Nigel Jones – 72
Simon Strutt – 71
Patricia Culligan – 71
Alan Stevens – 70
Donna Edmunds – 70
Barry Cooper – 69
South West – shortlist Gawain Towler – 80
Julia Reid – 79
Tony McIntyre – 75
William Dartmouth – 75
Keith Crawford – 74
Robert Smith – 72
West Midlands – shortlist Jill Seymour – 80
Phil Henrick – 78
Bill Etheridge – 76
James Carver – 75
Michael Wrench – 72
Michael Green – 72
Lyndon Jones – 72
Yorks & N Lincs – shortlist Godfrey Bloom – 81
Jane Collins – 78
Jason Smith – 76
Amjad Bashir – 76
Mike Hookem – 72
Gary Shores – 68
Scotland – shortlist David Coburn – 75
Mike Scott-Haywa – 75rd
Christopher Monckton = 73
Otto Inglis – 73
Paul Henke – 70
Malcolm Macaskill – 66
Ross Durance – 63
Steven McKeane – 62
Kevin Newton – 56
Wales – shortlist Nathan Gill – 83
James Cole – 79
Gareth Dunn – 76
David Rowlands – 73
Caroline Jones – 69
Martyn Ford – 69
Brian Morris – 63
Already the controversy rages with a very acrimonious series of comments and media coverage of the rejected James Delingpole,
A Courtcase has been threatened by the deeply disturbed & disturbing Mike Nattrass ( CLICK HERE )who clearly wants to see his loss of credibility escalate and huge eventual costs when he loses his no hope action (as he lost when he issued writs against The Times but was forced to withdraw when he saw their evidence!).
Then of course there was coverage in many papers such as:
The fruitcake test: UKIP candidates face psychometric testing before being selected …but Godfrey ‘Bongo’ Bloom passed
Personality quiz used to check the honesty and reliability of politicians
Media skills, public speaking and manifesto knowledge also tested
Godfrey Bloom who complained about aid to ‘Bongo Bongo land’ passed
But another MEP Mike Nattrass failed to make the grade
Tough regime designed to prevent repeat of local elections embarrassment
PUBLISHED: 12:56, 13 August 2013 | UPDATED: 13:47, 13 August 2013
‘A ‘fruitcake test’ has been used by the UK Independence Party to uncover unsuitable characters who might embarrass the party.Psychometric tests were used to analyse the personalities, reliability and honesty of more than 300 people wanting to run in next year’s European elections.
Experts were called in to prevent a repeat of May’s local elections when UKIP candidates were accused of sexism, racism and homophobia.
But one candidate who passed with flying colours was Godfrey Bloom, the sitting MEP who last week railed against Britain giving aid to ‘Bongo Bongo land’.
Pass: UKIP’s Godfrey Bloom cleared the party’s psychometric testing, but last week caused a political storm after complaining about British aid being sent to Bongo Bongo land
UKIP leader Nigel Farage ordered a shake-up of the party selection process to weed out people with views which risked living up to David Cameron’s infamous claim that the party was a ‘bunch of fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists’.
A professional recruitment company was hired to oversee the process, ahead of elections to the European Parliament in May 2014.
I just love the picture of Bloom looking as barking mad as he clearly is – iresponsible to the last and seemingly due to his hold over Nigel Farage not only out of control but beyond discipline, whether urinating in hotel plant pots, heckling as a guest (on behalf of UKIP voters) at a Mansion House function, being arrested for copulating with a black prostitute on the bonnet of a car in a Brussels street, defaming women or abusing foreigners it rather shows the idiotic inadequacy of Psychometric testing to eliminate fruit cakes and liabilities.
What next will the Farage Party sink to, ouija boards, grapho analysis, crystal balls, astrology and Mystic Meg to make their decisions!
It is bad enough having elected politicians who are not up to the job and spend £Millions on so called consultants to advise them how to do the job for which we pay them but imagine if UKIP were to be elected somewhere one could expect them to squander money on chums with jobs as Tarot Card readers, Rorschach testers and divinets – clearly they can’t even manage basic interviews!
At least we haven’t seen the likes of Annabelle Fuller posting confidential videos on You Tube to try to fiddle the results this time SO FAR! Thus causing genuine Court cases and the resignation of UKIP’s chairman as unwilling to go on telling lies for Nigel Farage to protect his doxies!
Little wonder that Will Gilpin quit the job of CEO, I’m astonished he took so long to realise he would be undermined at every opposrtunity by the crass team of self serving clowns running UKIP!
The office witches & wizards put in place to rig the selection, when some were even standing themselves and most were appointed and salaried by Nigel Farage left Nigel Farage gently fuming in his own party, for which he has made up by promising that the liar and cheat Neil Hamilton, having missed out as a candidate will be given a plum job in the party – some fear it might be to replace Will Gilpin as CEO, others believe it will be as chairman of the party or party secretary!
UKIP with its gaggle of Old Etonian has neens at the top – Malcolm Pearson, Stuart Wheeler, Willaim Dartmouth, Hugh Williams & the rest) gets more like The Extremist Nutter Wing of The Tory Party!
In real terms it would be nice to believe that there was someone on their list of hopefuls whom someone of ethics, intelligence and gravitas might wish to represent them but sadly there isnt – they are by and large a dismal collection of self serving and odious political wanabes!
It was interesting to note that Will Gilpin’s comments on UKIP so closely resembled comments made on this and other bl;ogs that are desperately trying to work to see UKIP cleaned up and distanced from the garbage it has attracted with its dash for numbers rather than calliber, ability, commitment, patriotism, gravitas and responsible planned exit from The EU.
Nationalist, racist, yobbery and cowardly sneering by nebishes too ashamed of their behaviour to pout their name to it or dependent on abuse and insult unsubstantiated by facts, strategy, tactics or a plan serves the EUropSceptic cause ill.
It now starts to look as if UKIP is so unfit for purpose as to be iredeemable and more of a hinderance than a help to the cause! Hence when there has been a massive swing towards opposition to membership of The EU UKIP has failed abysmally to gather together those who would have naturally supported them.
Consider the words of Will Gilpin or for that matter the two untrustworthy liars Marta Andreasen & David Bannerman who despite their basic dishonesty did make many of the same comments! The idiotic comments of the likes of Bloom do much to prove the failure of UKIP as do the efforts of the idiotic in the party who try to sell the false premise thaty there is no such thing as bad publicity – well it seems without bad publicity UKIP doers little to attract good publicity!
Little wonder that UKIP has and continues to fail in domestic politics merely acting as the dustbin for protest votes in EU elections!
UKIP, or at least the media, are becoming all too well aware that Nigel Farage, although he has ensure he is the only recognisable performer in his party, is likely to prove to be kiss of death to UKIP! .
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Hi,
I note that Dr. Richard North has made verys similar comments on his excellent and well informed and researched blog as I.
Richard’s comment on his experience with Nigel Farage: The bigger issue, though, is Farage’s assertion that he is going to take greater control. Long before he became party leader, he and I used to sit in the shared office in Strasbourg discussing the problems of leading such a fractious party as UKIP. And despite having first Michael Holmes and then Jeffrey Titford as leader – MEPs both – we agreed that it was not a good idea to have an MEP in charge.
almost exactly mirrors numerous conversations I have had with Nigel!
In fact I am clearly on record as saying that I would vigerously assist and support UKIP and its aim to Leave-The-EU under even half competent leadership but would implacably oppose it were Nigel Farage stupid enough to become the leader5 as I was well aware of his abilities as a performer but like Richard all to0o well aware of his total inability to lead much more than a rubber duck around a bath on a piece of string – A comment I have made often to0 Nigel himself.
It was clear, even in the early days of UKIP, that Nigel’s management and leadership skills were divisive and self serving rather than competent and his judgement of people was at the very least inept! A little flattery and a semblance of fawning adulation went a long way as long as there was little or no apparent ability or drive, ambition or intellectual gravitas!
I have been proven right time and again as Nigel purged the party of individuals of ability and ethics!
I was right then as is Richard’s title and the facts he puts forward now!
To no-one’s very great surprise, the UKIP saga has continued running, with the BBC and others picking up on the criticisms aired by Will Gilpin, the recently departed chief executive. The thoroughly unprofessional Mr Farage is well in evidence, with the BBC headline telling us that he has too much power in UKIP.
By any measure, therefore, Farage’s response to Gilpin is bizarre. Instead of retrenching, and even showing some signs of remorse, he comes storming back, telling the Telegraph that he will take a step back from public politics so that he can “get a grip” on UKIP by taking “direct control” of the party.
The idea that Farage will also cut back on his media appearances – as he claims – is hard to believe. The man thrives on publicity and cutting him off from the media would be like depriving an addict of his heroin.
The bigger issue, though, is Farage’s assertion that he is going to take greater control. Long before he became party leader, he and I used to sit in the shared office in Strasbourg discussing the problems of leading such a fractious party as UKIP. And despite having first Michael Holmes and then Jeffrey Titford as leader – MEPs both – we agreed that it was not a good idea to have an MEP in charge.
The debilitating effect of the travel, absence from the UK, the complexity of the task in following the EU agenda and exploiting the opportunities afforded by membership of the European Parliament, all meant that it was virtually impossible for any single person to function effectively as both an MEP and a leader. It simply a very bad idea.
Thus, we risked ending up with the worst of all possible worlds, a representative under-performing as an MEP and also making a hash of the leadership – which is precisely what Farage has done.
The problem would not be so acute if the party had an effective management committee (in the NEC), a strong and effective chairman and/or a skilled and effective chief executive with the authority and backing to run the party. But, while lacking almost entirely any of his own management skills, Farage has been able to exercise the dark arts in which he is a consummate practitioner and neutralised these alternative power bases.
For Farage thus to say that he is going to take “direct control” is a harbinger of doom, not least in his unwillingness or inability to control his drinking pal, the oaf Bloom, who seems intent on committing political suicide. The Conservatives must think that Christmas has come early.
Nevertheless, it was UKIP the party that appointed Mr Gilpin. And now that he is complaining of being undermined by Farage, it is thoroughly perverse to have the source of the problem assume control of the mess he has created.
What is more, while there is a managerial vacuum in UKIP, there is an even greater policy vacuum. The Article 50 issue and the exit plan are just two of the areas which need considerable development and firm leadership. For Farage to desert the political leadership of the party, in order to attend to managerial aspects – for which he has little aptitude and almost no competence – is no answer at all.
The thing that makes this all so bizarre though is that Farage, having exercised far too much control in the past, now sees as the remedy exercising even more. This suggests he has learned nothing from recent experience and is entirely impervious to the bad publicity he is currently getting. The Adams cartoon from the Telegraph (pictured) and the number of adverse comments he is getting on the paper’s website all point to his having scored an own goal.
But for those of us seeking improvement in the party, the concern (and energy) might be misplaced. UKIP is beginning to look as if it is beyond redemption. Without a sound ideological base and a competent leader, it may be on its way to the same political graveyard as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) which in the 1983 general election took 28 percent of the vote and has since disappeared.
The SDP’s fate was to be absorbed into the Lib-Dems which, as of last week, were taking eight percent of the polls. Not ever has UKIP approached 28 percent in the polls, so it has less far to fall.
While it may do well in the euro-elections, Will Gilpin himself suggests that UKIP may underperform at the 2015 general election – and that may be the start of its decline to obscurity. Nevertheless, for all his skills, Gilpin has no track record as a political campaigner, but it is fair to say that success depends as much on good administration and management as political skills.
With Farage now assuming greater control over the helm, future campaigns are ostensibly in the hands of a man whose administrative skills do not even stretch to ensuring the publication of expenses claims, thus breaking manifesto promises. His management skills – and certainly his personnel management – can be measured as a minus quotient. There can, therefore, be no confidence that we will see any improvement in UKIP’s performance under Farage’s more direct control.
Then, when it comes to the vital web presence, whatever Will Gilpin’s failings might have been, in Farage we are looking at a man who, until recently, had trouble finding the “on” switch on a computer. He had to get his staff to print his e-mails so that he could read them.
More importantly, we are now looking at a politician who is failing to respond correctly to political signals. Far from resuscitating UKIP’s management, he is so badly misreading the signals that he is courting catastrophic failure.
But the greater disaster is a party that cannot control or restrain its own leader. This is a party which has received the kiss of death. It is sadly ironic that it should come from one of its founders, who is now set to preside over the decline of his own creation.
Greg Lance - Watkins (Greg_L-W)
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Ukip-vs-EUkip 
That really turns UKIP into a bed-blocker. Far from educating the voting public at large, Farage isn’t even reaching his own members. This is the response of a branch chairman to a question on UKIP’s policy to Art 50:
“My understanding is that Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty is designed to prevent the sheep leaving the fold. We must leave on our own terms, even though we know the technocrats will try to make it as difficult as they can”.
I suppose, though, that if this is the level of ignorance in the party, it is better if UKIP keep away from EU issues and leaves them to the grown-ups.
It’s a fork – bank on about the EU and stay on the outside, quieten down on that subject in order to increase your vote and get accused of abandoning your principles. The question is, do you really think Farage has given up Brexit as a goal?
A couple of points. Where is the sense in going quiet on the EU just as the ‘in’ campaign is dominating the debate? And surely the question to ask is if Farage has Brexit as a goal, what is he doing to bring it about? Finding evidence to support his exit credentials is getting harder all the time. I believe he is leaving EU withdrawal behind for personal reasons.
In answer to your question, I think Farage will do anything that helps him realise his ambition. If that means turning UKIP into just another mainstream party to help him into Westminster, then I have no doubt he would do whatever suits him.
The reality of the hustings may have been overlooked in this piece. Connecting with the voter and backing up the EU withdrawal case with other policies that appeal is important and probably necessary to attract votes.
It works like this, “That Nigel Farage who wants the UK to leave the EU, well he talks a lot of sense on HS2 (etc. etc. etc.), so maybe he’s onto something when it comes to Europe”.
Furthermore the complexities of withdrawal, via Article 50 or indeed any other means, will remain opaque until the process of withdrawal begins. No one in Brussels or London ever imagined Article 50 would ever be used in anger. Nobody, whether that be the Commission, Council or indeed UKIP can second guess this one. It is simply uncharted territory.
This is not to say that this issue should not be discussed, and that the possible options, mechanisms and pitfall analysed; but I suggest that for Mr. Farage to publicly raise this issue, at the present juncture, would be both foolish, unnecessary and counter productive.
First we ideally need the settled will of the people to be firmly in favour of withdrawal and for that to be demonstrated democratically and unequivocally. At this point the UK will presumably play its hand (badly or otherwise).
However, today we are not even sure if Lisbon will be politically or even legally the most important Treaty. Indeed if Cameron’s timetable is followed, it does seem possible that by 2018 a fully federalised Eurozone could be in-place (assuming that insolvency and civil unrest hasn’t put paid to the centralist agenda). This may well change the dynamic in Europe so that it is a new Treaty, not Lisbon, that federalists will rally around.
The criticism of Mr. Farage’s strategy is rather harsh, his job is to attract voters and at this stage not to inform them about the technicalities of the possible mechanisms of withdrawal. This is made especially so at this time when even the most prescient would be hard pressed to offer a credible forecast as to how things might actually pan out.
In light of that Farage, and UKIP’s over all approach of weakening the Conservative Party in its Europhile form at least (and of course to a lesser extent the others) and raising UKIP’s profile on EU and non-EU policy areas is working. So much so that even the President of the United States (whilst remaining philosophically a Europhile) raised the Referendum issue on the steps of the White House. It is UKIP’s rise that has forced the issue onto the agenda. So far their strategy not only looks relatively successful, it is also the only democratic game in town.
That does not mean those with more in-depth knowledge should not continue to debate, explore, and advise on the consequences, mechanisms and possible outcomes. Or that UKIp’s approach should not be criticised, as it has been consistently done on this site and at both a credible and intellectually coherent level .
Never-the-less there comes a time, especially as support and electoral success increase, when the politics of analysis and election separate.
The most important thing is votes cast in the direction of the UK’s withdrawal. With those votes comes moral authority, a force that may prove to be more powerful than Article 50, or indeed any other piece of ill thought out EU legislation (for in reality Lisbon was never designed to be a Treaty but a law within which the powers and functions of the EU were re-codified and increased).
It seems not unlikely that if, when and indeed how the UK leaves the EU, will be most influenced by the number of votes UKIP can attract in 2014 and the threat to repeat any success in 2015 and then ultimately on the size of any majority in favour of exit, should an IN/OUT be held and won.
It would seem that without UKIP none of this would be even a faint possibility. I might add that I am not a UKIP member, but it seems to me that you are asking them to jump a relatively distant fence when the electorate are still undecided at the water jump.
I am sure AT is right in all that he (and Richard North similarly) says about and criticises UKIP/Farage. For me, Farage has provided a valuable service in promoting EUscepticism and having brought it or helped to bring it to public attention. The success of UKIP now gives concern to the Conservatives and others and it was Farage with his tub-thumping who largely achieved this. For this I am appreciative.
But that, I know, does not mean he has the ability to lead a mainstream parliamentary party. The difficulty is that we have no alternative at this stage. Just for whom do I vote in the coming European elections and in the subsequent UK GE? None of the main 3 parties is worth considering so it just leaves UKIP or my not voting at all.
If AT or others have any helpful suggestions. my thanks in advance.
Sorry, I meant “AM”.
LeoSavantt,
Things can be seen that way.
However, the view you take depends on how much faith you have in Farage’s initial intent and then steadfastness to remain true to UKIPs primary purpose of leaving he EU.
I think Leo has put more strategic thought into one post than Farage has into one year of UKIP activity.
People don’t seem to grasp that Farage’s priorities are Nigel Farage and money.
Leo’s argument reminds me of the hundreds of comments on Conservative Home arguing Cameron was only pretending to be a social democrat Europhile and that once in power he would suddenly reveal his inner conservative. We all know what happened there. Why suppose Farage has any more depth than Cameron?
AM,
Yes, I was thinking about Cameron the supposed eurosceptic wolf in europhile sheep’s clothing, playing his cards close to his chest. He turned out to be a sheep and a lot of us thought he was nothing else from the outset.
Being a political party carries temptations and compromises.
In UKIP’s case it was argued that if they got MEPs they’d ‘go native’ and there’s certainly an argument to be made for that.
In the case of representation at Westminster, especially with no immediate prospect of power, there has to be the temptation to fit in with the social-democratic consensus and occupy the LibDem niche of being a general protest party – and letting the question of leaving the EU fade into the background.
Most UKIP supporters are I fear politically naive so it is not that they don’t care it is that they just simply don’t know or haven’t worked out what makes Nigel tick.
@Dufyken
“…For me, Farage has provided a valuable service in promoting EUscepticism and having brought it or helped to bring it to public attention. The success of UKIP now gives concern to the Conservatives and others and it was Farage with his tub-thumping who largely achieved this…..”
Well, you’re not wrong. Farage has, to an extent {promoted] EU-scepticism, but what has he done to advance it?
Can you name a single crowning achievement of any UKIP MEP since 2009?
No, neither can I.
No MPs, some county councillors (unless disgraced and resigned), sabotaged mayoral and London Assembly elections… at what point do you wake up and realise it’s a personality cult?
@Nailer
Thanks for the response. I do not take issue with anything you have said but I still have no answer as to how I should vote in forthcoming elections – who else but UKIP?
@ Dufken
I vote for them as by far the least worst remotely credible option, but I don’t believe in them as it were. They’re a political party and while we’re stuck with electing one team or another of dictators, there’s no reason to believe UKIP are immune to the forces which made LibLabCon what they are.
Actually, I don’t even see LibLabCon as elected dictators, more like the current suit worn by the permanent government of civil service, local government, the EU, NGOs, QUANGOs etc., all untouched by elections every five years. The answer I’d say, is some measure of direct democracy where political parties are much reduced in their role, and we’d be far less likely to have the likes of Blair and Cameron taking very unpopular and far-reaching actions on a whim or for completely self-serving reasons.
The other problem we have is the major players in the political party game having a gentlemens’ agreement not to address certain issues of wide concern, and then fighting over a middle-ground which they feel comfortable with. Is it heretical to suggest that UKIP could be drawn into this if they had enough tribal support?
@Nial Warry
Most (enter political party) supporters are I fear politically naive so it is not that they don’t care it is that they just simply don’t know or haven’t worked out what makes (enter first name of leader) tick.
Admittedly, we do expect far higher standards of UKIP, notionally the outsiders seeking radical change.
Dufyken don’t vote for any of them it only encourages them!!