UKIP Uncovered

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

Wednesday, October 15, 2003

'What it said'. The leaflet at the door.

There appears to have been an attempt to suppress or restrict circulation of the leaflet distributed outside UKIP's conference venue by the BNP. Concerned UKIP members and conference attendees have provided us the contents, which we reproduce below, in the firm belief that knowledge is an essential tool in any campaign.

Neither the writers of this Blog nor Edward Spalton (who is quoted in the leaflet) have any connection with BNP. We reproduce it here in the sole belief that it is essential for those in politics to be fully informed.

This was the main part of the text and summary of the the leaflet distributed outside the UKIP Conference Meeting in Westminster:-

Quote

Saving Britain from Europe

The primary goal of all patriots is to save Britain. There is no doubt that the EU represents a substantial threat to British Sovereignty and the British way of life. Therefore all patriots oppose the EU. Happily, so too do most other ordinary people! The Swedes recently showed what they thought of the Euro and there is no doubt that a referendum here would elicit the same result.... hence the reason for Tony Blair's avoidance tactic.

UKIP members with three MEPs can be proud that UKIP is the leading force against the EU here in Britain. Unhappily this situation will not last.

Once again UKIP is ripping itself apart. Shenanigans by the NEC to impose candidates on regions, regional committees disbanded, the national Treasurer sacked then reinstated upon pain of litigation, the Chairman's GBP 60,000 overspend on the Scottish and Welsh elections and financial indebtedness that now dog the party - not helped by Dick Morris being paid GBP 40,000 p.a. for two days a week will bring the knives out for a bloodletting. There is even a wing of the party which is pushing for withdrawal from Europe so that Britain can be swallowed up by America in Nafta!

All this comes at a time when there is a deep unease within the party regarding the prospects at next year's European Election. A number of people believe that UKIP will be wiped out at these elections. Dr North has already defected to the Tories for this very reason. He loves the Strasbourg lifestyle and is believed to have 'done a deal' to retain it. According to Edward Spalton: 'Given the unsatisfactory state of UKIP's accounts, anyone taking office on the NEC might face personal indebtedness for liabilities incurred by the party. In theory this could be true for every member too. No doubt money will be produced from somewhere as long as UKIP remains a vehicle for careers. But if the EU funds for those careers end and the careerists depart, others will be left to face the music.'

And that really is the nub of it. There is every prospect that UKIP will lose all its representation in Strasbourg. Since 1999 when three seats were won UKIP, votes have been poor. Moreover the British National Party, which also favours withdrawal from Europe, and which fared poorly in that contest, has sprung to life.

In the Council elections this May the NEC failed to publish a full candidate listing. Nor was a full results listing ever published. Instead they published the percentages gained by their 40 best candidate. Some of these looked impressive until you realise that in many cases the contests were in seats where two (or more) of the Big Three parties weren't represented.

The fact that UKIP, which claims to be Britain's fourth largest political party, could only pick up seven council seats from the thousands up for election, after fielding nearly four hundred candidates in its best areas, should be a matter of much embarrassment. The British National Party by contrast picked up 13 - and always against strong opposition.

It therefore defies belief that the NEC rejected a BNP overture to avoid splitting the patriotic anti-EU vote. It is for this reason more than any other that UKIP appears doomed to lose all of its MEP's. The BNP on the other hand seems likely to win two or three MEP's regardless of UKIP's vote.

Local Authority Elections 2003

'UKIP increased its percentage share from 8.8% in 2002 to 10.8% in 2003'
Unfortunately, we are not comparing like with like. In 2002 approximately 60 of UKIP's 160 local authority candidates stood in Greater London where they polled significantly worse than their colleagues in the shire counties and provincial towns. As a consequence UKIP's overall percentage share of the vote has not been depressed to the same extent as it was last year. A two point increase without London votes in the equations is no advance at all.

'UKIP notched up a number of Impressive performances'
On the contrary/ UKIP gained many "outstanding" performance particularly in the South West region by virtue of standing candidates in wards barely contested by the major parties, for example:-
Kennett District Council, Netheravon Ward - UKIP "polled" 100% in an uncontested "contest"
West Devon District Council, Exbourne Ward - UKIP "polled" 53.6% against a single independent.
Weymouth & Portland Borough Council, Weymouth West - UKIP polled 33.4% against a Conservative and LibDem.
West Devon District Council, Walkham Ward - UKIP polled 28.1% against two LibDems.
East Devon District Council, Ottery St Mary Rural Ward - UKIP polled 26.8% against two Conservatives.
Torridge District Council, Appledore Ward - UKIP polled 27.1% against two LibDems and an Independent.
Such results/contests are by no means confined to the South West.
In next year's European Elections UKIP will be facing a full slate of candidates from the main parties in every seat in the country and it is highly unlikely that such results will be repeated anywhere.

'UKIP is doing well - as evidenced by winning seven new council seats this time around.'
The fact that UKIP, which claims to be "Britain's fourth larges political party', could only pick up seven council seats from the thousands up for election, after fielding nearly four hundred candidates in its best areas, should be a matter of much embarrassment - particularly when you consider the following points:-
Only in two contests did UKIP actually come first - North Devon DC, Longbridge Ward and West Devon DC, Exbourne Ward. In Longbridge only the Conservatives and LibDems were represented, whilst in Exbourne competition was a sole Independent!
Two UKIP candidates were successful by winning second places in wards having two vacancies (Torridge DEC, Appledore Ward and North Shropshire DC, Market Drayton South Ward). One UKIP candiate successful gained a seat by virtue of coming third in a ward offering three vacancies (Oswestry BC, Gobowen Ward). One UKIP candidate was "elected" unopposed (Kennet DC, Netheravon Ward)
UKIP claim (in their official press release dated the 3rd May), to have gained Bardwell Ward on Bury St. Edmunds Council. However result verification shows the Conservative, not UKIP, the winner.

Can UKIP retain three MEPs in next year's European Elections?
Highly unlikely. Next year UKIP will not be able to maximise their voting percentage, as they have done this year, by selecting only their best areas. Additionally they will also face a "full slate" of major party candidates in every seat and perhaps, most damaging - they will have to complete with the British National Party for the anti-EU vote in every seat.

As an aside it should be noted that the BNP polled an average of 17.3% to UKIP's 10.8% in this year's local elections and bested UKIP in two out of every three seats where they were running "head-to-head". The most likely prognosis for next year is that UKIP will gain no new MEPs and lose the three they currently have.
Unquote

There then follows an excerpt from an article in a magazine 'Identity' comparing BNP EU electioon prospects with those of UKIP and a recruitment promotion

posted by Martin |12:11 PM