UKIP Uncovered

UKIP Uncovered
What motivates the leaders of the United Kingdom Independence Party?

Monday, May 26, 2003

North East Region MEP Candidate Selection Fiasco

Updated 4th July, 2003 to add a link to The Northern Echo article of 28th May,2003 titled
Candidate for Europe withdraws as party feud escalates

http://www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/the_north_east/archive/2003/05/28/A8b3l4.newsby.html">Candidate for North East withdraws as party feud escalates.

A visit to the UKIP web site pages on the upcoming european parliamentary elections shows that of the five candidates who attended the final hustings meeting only two now remain North East Candidates

The three missing names are Bill Chrystal, Martin Cole and Peter Troy.

Bill Chrystal resigned both as a candidate and from the party in complete disgust at events in the North East and his letter of resignation to the party leader Roger Knapman dated 25th April has already been quoted in full on these pages, part of that letter stated:-

"The trouble seems to be centred around Peter Troy and his cohorts. I have already written about this, and indeed for some reason have only had one official reply which did not even answer my questions, and one phone call from one supposed senior official asking me to pour oil on troubled waters. .......It would seem to me that your party leaders are afraid of him, and we that were the NE are not worthy of your attention except when it suits, but as usual in your organisation as in others you don't have the bottle to sort it but alter your rules to suit yourselves."

Martin Cole was disqualified as a candidate following his criticising the activities of Peter Troy and the refusal of the UKIP party leadership to institute an inquiry into apparent irregularities regarding new membership numbers and recruitment procedures. Such an inquiry was eventually undertaken, presumably partly as a result of the pressure exerted from this Blog but also by the wider membership concern.

It is understood that this long delayed inquiry did indeed reveal the very irregularities complained of and that consequently Peter Troy after several days of apparent poll recounts having topped the poll for the North East was nevertheless prevailed upon to resign his candidature for the sake of party unity. It is understood he nevertheless continues in his capacity as Chairman of the Sedgefield UKIP Branch.

It remains unclear how the electoral irregularities uncovered could have been used to boost the vote of any of the NE candidates without the assistance of somebody else within the party. This aspect was apparently not considered worthy of investigation, according to a report from one close to the inquiries.

The appeal against Martin Cole's disqualification has to date apparently remained unanswered although it is clear that the concerns he raised have been proved to have been real. It is hard to understand how the results for the North East can be considered valid while this anomaly continues! Meantime, however, a party discipilinary complaint against this former candidate, made by a close associate of Peter Troy, has reportedly been set for an early hearing. Further proof, if any were needed, that those wishing to avoid any serious party reform remain firmly in control of UKIP.

Is the NE the only region affected by doubts over the candidate selection procedures? It seems extraordinary that the situation in London is still shown on the UKIP web site as being subject to a recount so long after the closing of the poll.

Reports of a senior resignation from the party's North West region also give rise to further doubts as to whether the party's National Executive Committee will have the courage or strength to halt UKIP's plunge towards disgrace and irrelevance.

posted by Martin |4:11 AM