UKIP Uncovered

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

Wednesday, December 31, 2003

What a Waste - UKIP's 2003

Some of this blog is opinion, the following facts about UKIP this year are not:

1. The unconstitutional suspension of two Regional Committees by Farage's EEC.

2. An unauthorised overspend by Lott of some £60,000 on the Welsh and Scottish elections.

3. Knapman's refusal to inquire into electoral manipulations by membership list padding.

4. Removal of properly elected Regional Committee members for exposing such fraud.

5. Abuse and manipulation of the Disciplinary Procedures to silence and remove those opposed or aware of the leadership's actions, and uphold an improper candidate disqualification.

6. Failed to consider Disciplinary Complaints against members of the ruling cabal.

7. Lost its E.D.D. Research Director Richard North, shortly before his book launch of great significance to the anti-EU campaign.

8. Established a fund-raising centre in Ashford, the main details of which were a mystery to most of the NEC, and which was widely believed in the Party to be siphoning off donations and membership subscriptions to fund Nigel Farage's campaign to remain an M.E.P.

9. Elected as its Scottish Euro representative, Peter Troy, who had previously been found guilty by UKIP's Treasurer of fiddling membership applications to secure his election as lead MEP candidate in the North East.

10. Illegally fired, then re-instated the Party Treasurer.

11. Sprung an ill-prepared recommendation on a surprised NEC to transfer the HQ of UKIP to Birmingham

12. In a bizarre lock-changing episode closed the London HQ and manhandled a staff-member to the street.

13. Dismissed the Party General Secretary, whose status is presently unknown.

14. Mishandling the reporting of party donations as verified by the Electoral Commission.

15. Mounted a series of disciplinary actions against committed Party workers, those decisions increasingly appeared to be made by a Disciplinary Committee virtually in the pocket of the leadership.

16. Losing a High Court action UKIP was forced to pay out compensation for failing to place Nikki Sinclaire on the NEC, who was then reinstated and had her office term extended by NEC vote.

17. Delivered the Party's worst-ever Parliamentary by-election result in England - a humiliating 0.65% of the vote in Brent East

18. Achieved one of the lowest Council by-election votes ever recorded in British history this month, in Lewisham - just "9" votes, which was less than one half of one per cent of the total poll.

Rehashing these facts is a thoroughly depressing experience, especially as the perpetrators all remain in their party posts and the membership appears indifferent. Certain Branch Chairmen, since the call by Mark Lester for an EGM, have quite incredibly sought to defend the leadership's actions. Committed Euro-realists must ensure that the electorate next June will not be similarly blind!

UKIP is a stain on the British body politic.

posted by Martin |11:10 AM