UKIP Uncovered

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

Wednesday, April 30, 2003

Resignation Letter of NE Regional MEP Candidate

One of the original MEP candidates for the North East Region resigned from his candidature and also from the Party by letter to the Party Leader, Roger Knapman, on 25th April 2003.

Following the earlier disqualification of another NE Candidate arbitrarily decided by Chairman Lott and the ex-sweetshop and tobacconist proprietor and later sub-postmaster now acting as UKIP General Secretary and Returning Officer for the MEP candidate selection process, Michael Harvey (M. Harvey Election Biographical Details ), the North East Region has now been reduced to only two feasible candidates from those who appeared at one or more of the hustings, yet one more is reported to now be considering his position. This of course excludes the controversial candidature of the individual central to all these problems who few could now seriously consider as being remotely electable. The party probably needs four candidates in the North East, for a full party list. Herewith the resignation letter which requires no embellishment:-

Quote
Sir,
I have been in many organisations through my life and been in many peculiar situations, but none as I now find myself.
The infighting in the party has really got out of hand; to such an extent that it would seem that the party chiefs do not have the backbone to sort this.
It would appear that certain members of the party in the north East are hell bent on being the candidate for Europe, and after the farce that was supposed to be the inaugural meeting of the Durham branch, I can see why. I will not beat about the bush for it is not in my nature and I believe that you should be aware of the facts from someone who is neutral in the conflict.
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. Mr. Troy has and is repeatedly using the members of the F.S.B. for his own ends i.e. the Hartlepool office for which you pay was an accountants office, A Member of the FSB. The man that owns it is still there! There are many such annonomilys, which it would seem, require investigation, It would seem to me that for some reason 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
It really is a shame that the N.E. region and the party workers here will no longer be a part of what would and should have been the best thing to happen to politics in the NE in a hundred years because the people in high places don’t listen to the workers! (G. Orwell Animal Farm)
I have resigned from the F.S.B because of Troy’s workings, and have therefore decided that I cannot have my name associated with people of this ilk.
For the above reasons I tender my resignation from party.
Unquote

posted by Martin |11:45 AM

Should UKIP’s MEPs Stand Again?

Before the last European election there was some debate in the party as to whether or not UKIP should send MEPs to Brussels and Strasbourg. The financial benefits that have flowed back to the party seem to have convinced those originally against the idea of its merits. The present dispute within the party over candidate selection for the 2004 European Parliament cannot be entirely separated from the individual privileges seen to be enjoyed by those elected.

So while there is clearly no interest in holding a debate on whether or not to field UKIP candidates in June 2004 a more significant and important question seems to have been overlooked, namely should sitting MEPs who have enjoyed all the benefits of one term of office be allowed to stand for re-election?

The philosophical position that we sent them to Brussels to seek Britain’s withdrawal from the EU and if they have made no progress in that direction after one term in office it would seem unlikely they would succeed in two or more terms is powerful. Even more so is the danger that the comforts of the lifestyle enjoyed by the MEPs might become an end in themselves thus converting our representatives into closet Euro-federalists.

On the other side of the argument is the clear fact that the higher profile gained as a result of their MEP name tag, and funds available from the EDD which can be used for massaging constituents between elections clearly give sitting MEPs greater celebrity than most newcomers and hence an increased chance of re-election.

The party list system employed in the European Parliamentary electoral system, however, puts the ballot onto a ‘Party’ rather than a “Personality’ basis, which considerably weakens the latter argument.

In a situation where UKIP had enjoyed the most fantastically able sitting MEPs, who had worked tirelessly for the Party and been responsible for the recruitment of many new, mainly young, but all enthusiastic members AND who had also advanced the UKIP cause by arguing and debating long and often with the ablest members of the pro-European and federalist forces AND who had made many able and frequent contributions to the national media THEN a strong case could be made that such sitting members should be placed no higher than third on any regional list.

The benefits should be obvious, the celebrity gained as a result of having had the support of the party in gaining initial membership would be re-invested in propelling two new candidates into the Brussels Parliament with the added bonus of the sitting MEP having an outside chance of re-election.

If UKIP gained only one or two MEPs in that region then the ex-MEP would be a perfect high profile individual raring to regain office which would then most logically be found in a Westminster constituency which, after all, should be our ultimate goal. If a general election seemed far away then a high profile by-election might provide an even better platform for his entry to the House of Commons

Unhappily UKIP has not had sitting MEPs who exactly meet the description above. Thus they are scrabbling to be lead candidates in their original regions, apparently more intent on retaining their MEP benefits than bringing new colleagues to the fight.

In fact the impact of the internet which was briefly discussed in the earlier post on this site today, will most likely be used by our opponents to make their re-election and all those candidates beneath them on their regional lists practically impossible. The damage is unlikely to be confined to those regions alone as other outstanding candidates with unblemished records and no backlog of adverse press comment lying around at the click of a mouse, will also suffer as the UKIP Party name is dragged through the mud.

A rule change restricting sitting MEPs to a ranking of Number Three or lower in the Regional Party lists is obviously not feasible at this late stage. The postal ballot now underway, however, gives this power to the ordinary members by individual action and we commend the idea to you.

posted by Martin |8:39 AM

The Internet Effect on Elections

It is really quite extraordinary what one can find lying around on the internet. Obscure bits and pieces that before this electronic marvel would never ever have seen the light of day, now available to all at a click of a mouse. Take this item as an example, available on the link below but not quoted in full:-

United Kingdom Independence Party, Isle of Wight Branch
-- Annual General Meeting 27th November 2002 --

The Minutes of the previous Annual General meeting of 1st November 2001 were passed. It was noted that the £200 contribution to the abbatoir feasibility study agreed at that meeting had largely been wasted, since the study had been performed by an offshoot of the Meat and Livestock Commission and had considered only unreasonably costly solutions. However, the idea is not dead; between them Richard North and the farmers have devised ways of doing the job more cheaply and hope that it will prove possible to put them into operation. A suitable site for the abbatoir has been chosen.

UKIP Isle of White AGM

What does it mean the £200 contribution to the abbatoir feasibility study agreed at that meeting had largely been wasted where had it gone? Why were these worthy people in the Isle of Wight sitting in that lovely old pub worrying about an abbattoir? What is the connection between the Isle of Wight branch Chairman and now National Chairman David Lott and Richard North presently at the centre of the Yorkshire and Humberside Committee suspension dispute?

The Internet brings us so much but often answers so little. Much is available for instance on the activities of UKIP's sitting MEPs during their time in Brussels and Strasbourg, time was when being an incumbent was seen as an advantage. With the unforgiving internet giving instant access to all, is this still the case?

posted by Martin |8:19 AM

Sunday, April 27, 2003

Another look at Nigel Farage MEP

While much space has today been devoted to considering UKIP Party Leader Roger Knapman it must not be forgotten that it was the above mentioned UKIP MEP Nigel Farage in his role as Chairman of the UKIP Euopean Election Committee who seems to have been mainly instrumental in the suspension of the two northcountry Committees.

Much will no doubt be soon made of other well reported Farage 'causes celebres' like the BNP lunch and photograph incident, Videotape copyright infringement and database purloinment, but a less discussed but just as unsavoury a matter, which surely cost UKIP thousands of votes at the last General Election was the reported attempt to extort money from the Tories for not running UKIP candidates against them. The matter was reported in the Daily Telegraph on 30th January 2001, part of which read as follows:-

Quote
Nigel Farage, the UKIP MEP and the party's spokesman, confirmed that talks had been going on with MPs he described as Thatcherites. Although he refused to give details, it is understood that MPs on the Right of the party have given UKIP a list of more than 30 colleagues to be spared.

Mr Farage said: "They want us to call the dogs off. They believe that in many marginal seats the UKIP could cost them their seats. There is only one way that a deal with the Conservative Party can work. For the UKIP to convince its constituency associations and candidates to stand down will only be possible if there is something in it for us. £1 million would be a good start."

Mr Farage said the money would be used to fund UKIP candidates in areas where it does not have enough resources to compete, in particular in the North of England. About 150 UKIP candidates have been selected, but the party wants the number to rise to about 400.
Unquote

To read the full newspaper report which was written by Benedict Brogan the Telegraph's Political Correspondent click on the link below:-

Tories outraged at fringe party's 1 million pound blackmail

posted by Martin |4:58 PM

Unjustly Suspended Regional Committees Revisited

It has been a while since we have referred to the position of the suspended North East and Yorkshire and Humberside Committees. They remain suspended in spite of the legality of such suspension being strongly in doubt. We sought the permission to put the contents of the letter from various members of the suspended North East Committee to their broader membership here on the blog. We are glad to say we have now received that permission and the full contents follow. Please copy this letter and circulate it as widely as possible amongst any other UKIP members you might know....Their Committee or Branch could be next!

9th April,2003.
Dear Member,

North east members of UKIP have been sent a letter dated 8th April by the Party Chairman, Mr.Lott, although neither our Chairman Michael Rollings nor Secretary Judith Wallace has received it.

That letter was one-sided, to say the least. We, the undersigned, as the majority on the North East Committee, have always endeavoured to work together to attack the EU and to restore Britain’s independence - in our view, that is the sole reason for the Party’s existence. On 8th March we had received an email from Mr Lott sending us “congratulations from the National Executive Committee.…on the remarkable percentage increase in membership in the North East”.

A full committee meeting was held in Newcastle on Saturday 8th March at which its decisions were unanimously agreed by all those present, as can be evidenced by several independent observers. Despite this unanimity a secret complaint was apparently made to Mr. Lott that very evening or early next morning.

Less than 24 hours later, without any serious enquiries having been made to ascertain the true facts of the situation, the committee’s suspension was proposed by the Party’s European Election Committee, chaired by Mr Farage.

Having examined the rules we do not accept that there is any constitutional basis for our suspension, a view supported by other senior party members. We wrote to Mr Farage requesting written details of the allegations (copied to the Party Leader, Chairman and all NEC members). This letter has not even received the courtesy of an acknowledgement, let alone a detailed explanation.

Later that week without notice or warning, we received Solicitors’ letters, sent by an exclusive firm of London Solicitors, on the instructions of Mr.Farage. This seems to us to be an astonishingly heavy-handed way for a Party to treat its volunteers; we do not know who paid the lawyers’ fees, presumably at the Party’s expense and if so from individual members’ subscriptions.

Mr. Lott’s letter to you refers to protection of your “democratic right to select the candidates”. We too believe it important that all relevant information about prospective candidates should be made available to members, and that this should include, for example, details of criminal convictions or past bankruptcies. As any such background information would be bound to be of interest to press and opponents in an election, we believed that the UKIP members should be aware of it if they were to make an informed decision as to whom to select as their candidates.

Our Secretary wrote on 5th February to the Party’s General Secretary, Mr. M. Harvey (sending a copy to Mr. Lott), asking if such information ( convictions or bankruptcies) would accompany biographical details sent with ballot papers to members by Head Office.

This was yet another letter that was ignored, as was a reminder a month later.

In a further attempt to keep candidates’ details from the members, the Party Secretary, Mr Clark, at the Hustings in Middlesborough on 17th March, attempted to prevent a question on these matters being put to prospective candidates. It transpired, after further discussion, that one prospective candidate, Mr Peter Troy, confessed that he had indeed been bankrupt.

We have only recently learned that, in addition to the candidates at the meeting on 17 March, there are if fact other potential candidates, but for whatever reason Head Office have failed to notify the North East of their details. This may have been a simple oversight or there may be other reasons why Head Office have deprived the North East of their democratic right to choose from the full range of potential candidates. A full list had not been sent in time for them to participate in the Hustings and even now their particulars have still not arrived. On the very day of the second Hustings, deputy Leader Mr Nattrass intimated an intention to stand, but withdrew.

On 22nd March the “Northern Echo” reported that a man named Mr Agnew was supporting “the Tyne and Wear drive for both the BNP and the UK Independence Party” and that he might stand for election.

One of our prospective candidates, Mr Martin Cole, contacted Head Office about this and in addition Mr Cole wrote to the newspaper to say that one could not represent both parties.

Mr Clark from UKIP Head Office, responded to Mr Cole that this “new member” had been sent a notice terminating his membership.

There are serious concerns surrounding the way in which Mr Agnew was allowed to become a member at all.

Some 4 or 5 years ago, Mr Agnew was a member of UKIP but was asked to leave by our Treasurer Mr Rouse when his links to the extreme Right wing BNP were identified. Not deterred by being “asked to leave” once Mr Agnew again sought to become a UKIP candidate in 2001, this time through Head Office. Mr. Rollings, North East UKIP Chairman, advised UKIP Head Office of Agnew’s BNP connection and of his exclusion. Why then, when UKIP headquarters were already aware of these previous attempts by Agnew did Head Office give him membership yet again?

The whole affair becomes even more curious. Agnew is now quoted in the press as saying that his membership card arrived “out of the blue”, that he did not pay for it and that he was asked by UKIP to stand. This was certainly not a Regional Committee decision.

Mr Rollings has tried to find out the truth of the whole situation and has asked Mr Clark about this matter, but it will come as no surprise to you to find that once again he has not received a reply.

In the light of these developments your Regional Officers have attempted to investigate other memberships in an effort to ensure that the Agnew affair was a “one off” and that there are no other skeletons to be unearthed.

Unfortunately, but perhaps not surprisingly, we now have concerns about other serious irregularities in the membership. We have referred the matter to Head Office; further press reports would only damage the Party.

Mr Cole, a very able man, indicated last week that with the present leadership of UKIP he felt unable to continue with his candidature; now, as you know, the Party has disqualified him. (He may appeal). Three of the other candidates, all committed to the anti EU cause, are now considering their position; all of them know we need a good team to fight the EU effectively.

We cannot afford to loose such party workers - UKIP currently has a membership of about 9000, but there are over 8000 who have left the party.

We must ask “Why?”.

In the light of what we have told you it will probably come as no surprise to you to find that the North East UKIP Committee is not alone in having problems with Head Office. In addition to our own situation, the UKIP in London has seen fit to suspend the Committee in Yorkshire and Humberside too; they also have been sent Solicitors’ letters on the instruction of Head Office.

We joined UKIP to fight against the EU’s takeover of our country. We believe that we have been doing a good job in building up the fight and support in this Region to achieve this (even UKIP in London admitted it) - the current situation has entirely disrupted the work in this cause. We have already lost the opportunity to mount an effective campaign in several council wards, and a big public meeting planned for Durham has had to be much curtailed; leafleting has ground to a halt and letter writing much reduced just when we were starting to hit the Pro Euro Lobby were it hurt.

Our attention has been diverted from the real issue of vital importance to this country. This has not been achieved by the EU, nor by the pro Euro political parties but sadly by the actions of the current leadership of the UKIP.

There may yet be further developments.

Yours sincerely,
Michael Rollings (Chairman), Martin Rouse (Treasurer), Judith Wallace (Secretary)
Gavin Attwell, Rosie Attwell, Roy Makin

posted by Martin |2:47 PM

Exploring the UK Independence Party Leader's Conservative Monday Club Connections

Quoting UKIP General Secretary Michael Harvey one month ago “All UKIP Candidates and Party Officers are required to sign a declaration which includes the following: ‘I have never engaged in or advocated or condoned racist, violent, criminal or anti-democratic activity nor have I ever been a member of or had any links with any such organisation or group, association with which the National Executive Committee [of UKIP] considers is liable to bring the Party into disrepute.’ The BNP falls into this category, so any person with any links with the BNP would most certainly not be welcome in UKIP.”

All source material that follows is available to all from the Internet and appropriate links are provided.

The following is an excerpt from a web page of Euro-realist meetings still available on the internet at the link below:-

EURealist Diary-Updates

“Wednesday 9 October 12.15 Connaught Hotel, West Hill, Bournemouth Adrian
davies (Barrister) Aidan Rankin (right wing writer), Sam Swirling (former
Pres. Monday Club), Derek Turner (Ed. Right Now!) Ashley Mote (author),
Roger Knapman (Leader-elect, UKIP_ (Right wing action group within the
Conservative Monday Club)”

Note the details of the meeting must have been provided before the actual election of Roger Knapman to the UKIP leadership which took place just a few days before the lunch at the Scarbororough Conference 4-6th October.

The Group is described as a Right wing action group within the renowned right wing club, already then with its links to the Tories cut by that party, but nevertheless still describing itself as the Conservative Monday Club. Some links and comments on the Monday Club follow:-

Telegraph Article

A spokesman for Conservative Central Office said: "We have no comment to make on this sort of politics." Under Mr Duncan Smith, the Conservative Party suspended its links with the Monday Club, saying it had to prove its non-racist credentials.
The party leadership said the organisation should amend its membership and constitution to avoid race and immigration issues or face permanent exclusion.

Telegraph News Item

Michael Howard, the shadow chancellor, confirmed the move yesterday. "It is right to say that three MPs have been asked to resign from the Monday Club.
He added: "Some of its views in the past have been extremist. There is no room for extremist views in the Conservative Party," he told the BBC's On the Record programme.
Breaking the party's links with the Monday Club follows Mr Duncan Smith's declaration in an interview with The Telegraph on Saturday that he will have "no truck with racists" in the party.
David Davis, the Tory chairman, is due to meet Viscount Massereene and Ferrard, the president of the Monday Club, to discuss the group's links with the party.
He will seek assurances that the club's policies are in line with Mr Duncan Smith's ambition to make the party more attractive to people from ethnic minorities.
If no agreement is reached the chairman may ask the club to stop describing itself officially as the Conservative Monday Club, and may rule that belonging to it is incompatible with membership of the Tory party.

DT Legal Threat

THE Conservative Party faces the threat of legal action by Monday Club members after suspending its links with the organisation.
Senior figures inside the club say they have taken advice and believe that Iain Duncan Smith, the Tory leader, has acted outside the law.
They are demanding an immediate injunction compelling the party to consider representations from the club, a postal ballot of the club membership to decide the shape of a court fight, and an emergency meeting.
The move is a potential embarrassment to Mr Duncan Smith who has ordered the organisation to amend its membership and constitution to avoid race and immigration issues, or face permanent exclusion from the party.
David Davis, the party chairman, said the Monday Club had to prove its non-racist credentials. But Sam Swerling, a solicitor and former chairman of the Monday Club, said: "I don't believe the Tory party has gone through any of the proper procedures. And I question the ability of Mr Duncan Smith to take arbitrary action against people who are accepted as Tory party members."

Guardian Report

A central office source said last night the club would have to rewrite its constitution to remove any reference to race and immigration, and the change would have to be agreed by the 700 members. "If they fail to do that, they will be out permanently; and then we will look at the question of people who are members of the club and of the party."
Viscount Massereene and Ferrard, the club's president, Lord Sudeley, its chairman, and Denis Walker, a member of its executive, said they would consider the leadership's demands.

Times Extract

Monday Club Right plans to challenge suspension
Melissa Kite, Times, 03 Apr 2002
DISAFFECTED right-wing Tories are threatening to take legal action against Iain Duncan Smith to contest Conservative Party sanctions against the Monday Club.
Hardliners in the club are lobbying other grassroots Conservatives to support the court challenge, The Times has learnt. The hardliners have formed a new pressure group, the Conservative Democratic Alliance, and say that they have 600 supporters who are furious at the direction in which Mr Duncan Smith is taking the party.
At this May's annual general meeting of the Monday Club the group will table a series of motions calling for the Tory party to reassert its right-wing credentials.

epolitix report

Right wingers to challenge Monday Club ban
Right wing Tories are threatening a legal challenge to Iain Duncan Smith after the Conservative leader took action to suspend the Monday Club.
Six hundred hardliners have formed a new Tory pressure group, the Conservative Democratic Alliance, angry at the new direction of the party.
Tory MPs and Central Office contacts with the club were severed last October after a row over racism.

The Monday Club was ordered to rewrite its constitution and expel racist members.

Published: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 01:00:00 UTC

epolitix report

Hardline Tories are threatening a legal challenge to Iain Duncan Smith's decision to suspend the right wing Monday Club.
Six hundred Conservatives have formed a new pressure group, the Conservative Democratic Alliance, and are angry at the new direction he is leading the party.
Tory MPs and Central Office contacts with the club, which included several Conservative MPs among its members, were severed last October after a row over racist material on its website.

The Observer

A number of right-wing groups flutter on the fringes of the Tory party, giving their support to Duncan Smith. One is the Swinton Circle, a bland name hiding a set of hard-right ideologies on immigration and the EU. The Circle has links with the Springbok Club, a group of supporters of the South African apartheid regime, and is led by Alan Harvey, a former NF activist.
It backed Duncan Smith for leader, because he was 'pro-capital punishment, voted against the age of homosexual consent being reduced from 21 and opposed legalisation of cannabis'.
An active member of the Circle and one of its former leaders was Bill Binding, who was deputy head of the British Ku Klux Klan. Last October, he expressed his admiration for Duncan Smith and has now rejoined the Tories.
In 1997, Binding stood as a BNP parliamentary candidate in Dagenham, east London. He now says he quit the KKK four years ago after concluding that all races were genetically alike.
Tories claim the views of Duncan Smith supporters do not mean the leader shares them. They also point to the fact that under him the Monday Club - which favours a ban on coloured immigration and, like the BNP, wants 'properly financed voluntary repatriation' - has been banned from the Tory party.
This may be so, but it wasn't very long ago that one of Duncan Smith's Shadow Cabinet stars was a leading light in the Monday Club.

Time to take another look at the guest list of that Bournemouth 9th October luncheon. Could it have been a celebration to mark the new position of a right wing stalwart?

Wednesday 9 October 12.15 Connaught Hotel, West Hill, Bournemouth Adrian
davies (Barrister) Aidan Rankin (right wing writer), Sam Swirling (former
Pres. Monday Club), Derek Turner (Ed. Right Now!) Ashley Mote (author),
Roger Knapman (Leader-elect, UKIP_ (Right wing action group within the
Conservative Monday Club)

Some Links and information on Derek Turner

Right Wing Groups
Quote
Right Now! (right-wing Tory)
A quarterly journal launched in 1993 and now the most influential magazine on the Conservative far right. It brings together former BNP and NF fascists and the authoritarian right of the Conservative Party. First editor was (Ralph) Michael Harrison, a long-time racist and associate of the late Dowager Lady Jane Birdwood, a longtime racist activist. Was replaced in 1995 by Derek Turner, who had been leader of the Irish nazi group, the Social Action Initiative. Right Now! is obsessed by race and has been instrumental in reintroducing eugenics and race science into the British right. In 2000, Taki Theodoracopulos, the right-wing Greek socialite, became the magazine's publisher.
Right Now! has regularly promoted race scientists, who claim that black people are genetically inferior to whites. It is also connected to several European fascist groups including the Front National in France and the Alleanza Nazionale of Italy.
Unquote

Visit the web site of the magazine from the link below:-

Right Now

Read an interview with Mr Turner

Turner Interview

An Article by Aidan Rankin

Read Aidan Rankin Anti-facism is the new Facism

A visit to Google Search Engine and entering the name of certain of the luncheon attendees will take one to a variety of pages of published articles with connotations that do not seem to sit entirely comfortably with UKIP's description of itself:-

The UK Independence Party is an inclusive party and is guided by the principle of non-discrimination: we seek the support of persons of all races and religions who share our aims. The Party’s commitment to non-discrimination receives special protection in the constitution. The Party has recently advertised in media like the African Caribbean Voice newspaper and the Jewish Chronicle to highlight the threats posed by the EU to minorities. The Party consists of former Socialists, Conservatives and Social Democrats.

UKIP's statement of AIMS taken from its web site:-

THE UK INDEPENDENCE PARTY IS THE ONLY DEMOCRATIC, NON-RACIST, NON-SECTARIAN POLITICAL PARTY TO ADVOCATE BRITAIN'S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION.

And furthermore, as quoted at the start of this posting, requires all its Candidates and Party Officers to sign a declaration which includes the following:-

"I have never engaged in or advocated or condoned racist, violent, criminal or anti-democratic activity nor have I ever been a member of or had any links with any such organisation or group, association with which the National Executive Committee [of UKIP] considers is liable to bring the Party into disrepute."

posted by Martin |2:23 AM

Saturday, April 26, 2003

The following appears on the web site of the Bristol British National Party:-

Quote
The Committee of the Bristol & Western Counties Region send fraternal greetings to their UKIP colleagues in the SW and their sincere best wishes for success at the polls on May 1st.

If the last three months have proved anything (our italics)- it has proved that co-operation, rather than competition, pays dividends. The decison to avoid competion in the selection of local authority seats in the SW has meant that the potential “nightmare” of both BNP and UKIP candidates contesting the same seats (particularly in the Taunton and Torbay areas) on basically the same political platforms has largely been avoided - clearly a sound decision benefiting both parties.

In addition UKIP’s adoption of a more robust stance on the asylum seeker issue, bringing the party into line with BNP policy (even down, it has to be said, to the adoption of our “It’s a matter of Space and not Race” slogan) is to be applauded.

We look forward to further co-operation with UKIP during the year ahead.
Unquote

Bristol BNP Home Page

No doubt UKIP's Leadership will push aside this story as another BNP attempt to smear the party, but maybe this time we can have an explanation of events in Taunton and in Torbay, unlike what happened in the Darlington situation which hit the headlines in that town over a month ago, and still remains uninvestigated and unexplained.

posted by Martin |1:48 PM

Wednesday, April 23, 2003

Britain's Minister for Europe, Denis Macshane, writing in today's Financial Times Europe should forget the federalist papers says the following:-

Quote

Mr Giscard d'Estaing and his conventioneers need to make sure the best is not the enemy of the good. High hopes of ultra-federalists or fanatical nation-firsters should be parked. The convention should produce a sensible, working plan to allow 25 nations to take as many decisions as possible in common, while maintaining the indissoluble link that binds people to their parliaments and national governments.

If this means compromise and limited approach so be it. Otherwise the convention will be seen as just another longer, more expensive seminar on the future of Europe. It would then be up to the 25 governments to begin anew in the subsequent inter-governmental conference, which could mean a drawn-out negotiation and hasty decisions in the final 24 hours.

This would be a shame. The work of the convention has been of high quality. The contributions are serious and thoughtful. Different proposals deserve examination. The nervous bureaucratic protectionism seen from different national ministries terrified of sharing competences with their colleagues across frontiers needs to be overcome.
Unquote

This would be a shame Can you believe such an understatement! It would be a tragedy of monumental proportions.
Sixty more days before the Convention reports and the whole thing then wrapped up in an Intergovernmental Conference and we say goodbye to our Parliamentary Democracy. Read the article by Jens-Peter Bonde Leader of the EDD The Emperor's New Clothes

Quote
If one third of the National Parliaments raise the alarm bell the Commission will be obliged - please take a seat - to read their proposal one more time....
Unquote

What is the Leadership of the United Kingdom Independence Party doing about this situation, with 60 days to go to save our democracy?

Utilising every dirty trick they can contrive to get their particular friends into the next European Parliament!

posted by Martin |9:05 AM

Monday, April 21, 2003

The present leader of the UK Independence Party is Roger Knapman, who was elected unopposed at the party's Scarborough Conference in the autumn of 2002. A former Tory MP for Stroud, his photograph and brief biography can be found from visiting the attached link:-

Roger Knapman

Not much can be discovered from a research of Hansard for the period he sat in the House of Commons. The entry below from which we quote "Mr. Roger Knapman (Stroud) : Morning sittings of the House are an abomination and interfere unnecessarily with one's lifestyle. I hope that the Leader of the House does not consider that more are necessary." informs us he was not keen on early rising but leaves us none the wiser on policy matters.Hansard November 27th 1992

Another rare example of Mr Knapman's oratory is the following:-

"Mr. Knapman : On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. There may be an error in the Order Paper today. In question No. 15, the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Leith (Mr. Brown) was asking about Government sponsored schemes for training under-21s. Is it not more likely that the hon. Gentleman meant to ask about training for the over-21s?
Mr. Speaker : I have no idea. Let us now move on the the ten-minute rule motion. "

Since becoming leader of UKIP he has continued his apparent aversion to appearing in the media, although he did get this letter published in The Guardian:-

Knapman Letter on the BNP

Media shares BNP blame

Thursday January 30, 2003

The UK Independence party is not, as Labour claims (Labour seeks to stop BNP making more gains, January 28), in a state of "virtual collapse", and remains the UK's fourth largest party, with a growing membership. We have almost 30 local councillors (six times as many as the BNP), with a significant number gained by the defection of Labour councillors. Last May, we averaged 8% of the vote in local government wards we contested, and aim to increase that significantly this year.
The BNP succeeds by targeting large, run-down council estates with a generally low income, poorly educated electorate. These estates have ended up in this situation precisely because the three main parties have failed in their duty and reneged on their promises to improve the quality of life there.
By contrast, the smaller moderate parties have both the credibility and the policies to achieve what the main parties have failed to do. The fact that the UK Independence party, the Greens and the Socialist Alliance between them contested over 2,500 wards last May was not remarked upon in the national media because of the obsession with the BNP, who put forward a mere 96 candidates. If the media continues to ignore the very parties that can credibly oppose the racist rhetoric of the BNP in these wards, then it must also share the blame when the BNP proves successful.
Roger Knapman
Leader, UK Independence party

One of his infrequent forays away from his West Country base was to this event in the North East of England:-

UKIP Contact Page
... Roger Knapman, Chris Williamson, Peter Troy, Richard North. Buffet from 7.OOpm.
Peter Troy 01609 760624. ... Speaker Roger Knapman. Buffet and wine. £10.00. ...
Description: Promoting the anti-EU party in East Anglia with information, links and membership information.
Category: Regional > Europe > ... > Politics > Parties > UK Independence Party
www.democracy-uk.co.uk/ukip/meeting.htm - 9k - Cached - Similar pages

This event at Sedgefield Racecourse in the Prime Minister's constituency on 6th December 2002, was mysteriously described by Party Chairman David Lott as NOT being "to promote the UKIP but to obtain general publicity without mentioning the name of UKIP." One wonders how that is possible and what it could possibly mean. Is UKIP's new party leader so allergic to publicity that he chooses to travel incognito?

While still a member of the Conservative Party Mr Knapman was not ashamed of proclaiming his membership of the Right Wing Monday Club, since purged from the party by Iain Duncan Smith on 18th October 2001. David Davis then Tory Party Chairman was reported by the Guardian as saying after an 80 minute meeting " I have told them that until a number of things are concluded - particularly some concerns about the membership of the club, and a review of the club's constitution and a requirement that the club will not promulgate or discuss policies relating to race - that the club is suspended from any association with the Conservative party." We did have a link to the full article by Nicholas Watt dated October 19, 2001 but regret do not presently seem to be able to access the web page. A BBC report on the severing of links can be accessed from here Conservatives cut ties with Monday Club over Race

In the Autumn of 2002 Mr Knapman undeterred was continuing his association with this group, here described as belonging to a right wing faction within the acknowledged right wing Monday Club, already proscribed by the Tories as described above:-

Wednesday 9 October 12.15 Connaught Hotel, West Hill, Bournemouth Adrian
davies (Barrister) Aidan Rankin (right wing writer), Sam Swirling (former
Pres. Monday Club), Derek Turner (Ed. Right Now!) Ashley Mote (author),
Roger Knapman (Leader-elect, UKIP_ (Right wing action group within the
Conservative Monday Club)

Eurorealist Diary Updates

One time leader of the Monday Club, Viscount Massereene and Ferrard, has been quoted as saying, "If you say I am a racist, yes I certainly am, and proud of it". Visit the web site of The Monday Club by clicking the link The Conservative Monday Club

I realise this sketch of UKIP's leader lacks substance, but after extensive searches there is little more we have found to add. If others have extra links or information we would be happy to include other links or quotes. We can be e-mailed by the link at the top right side of the blog.

posted by Martin |2:26 PM

Friday, April 18, 2003

Who are these Leaders of the UKIP

First let's have a look at, probably the most influential, Nigel Farage MEP.

We can access his declared biography from this link provided by the European Parliament:-

Nigel Farage

His Biography tells us the following:-

"O levels (1980); A levels (1982). Commodity broker with Drexel Burnham Lambert (1982-1986), Crédit Lyonnais (1986-1993) and Refco Overseas Ltd (since 1994)."

Having 'O' Levels and 'A' Levels seems fairly uncontroversial although quantifying them would be more edifying. Drexel Burnham Lambert rings a bell, Ivan Boesky and the movie Wall Street wasn't it? One description of that company found at random from Google gives the following:-

The Fall of Drexel Burnham Lambert

How about Credit Lyonnais, the next step in Nigel Farage's career, the next ECB head on trial for fraud now rings bells, Tricky Trichet was it? (Anybody read Bernard Connolly's 'Something Rotten at the Heart of Europe' ?) Try this link below, again a fairly random Google pick:-

The Credit Lyonnais Debacle

Unlike his earlier employers, the final company listed by Nigel Farage, namely: Refco Overseas Ltd, seems to have avoided flirtations with bankruptcy. According to its web site, which can be accessed from the llink below, it still seems to be thriving on hawking its package of sophisticated derivative and other trading packages, but life in that high pressure trading environment must be pretty tough in present market conditions. No wonder UKIP's best known MEP seems to so value the security of his European Parliamentary benefits that he appears to have lost all thought of Britain ever leaving the EU.

Refco Overseas Ltd

The links at the side of this text give further information on this interesting and very influential senior party figure. His role as Chairman of the European Election Committee has been pivotal in the present crisis now facing the party.

We hope to give a reasonably full data base on the published data on UKIP leader Roger Knapman before the end of the holiday weekend. Nowhere near sufficient, we recognise, to begin to answer the question that is the topic of this Blog. Lesser figures such as Chairman Lott, Vice-Chairman Nattrass and the Party Secretaries will be considered as time permits.

!

posted by Martin |9:05 PM

Wednesday, April 16, 2003

Following the item UK Independents take action after BNP infiltration claims quoted in full below, certain members of the North-East committee, having been tarred with insinuations of BNP sympathies from their own party leadership, wrote the following letter to the newspaper. Once again we have been awaiting its appearance in the archived web edition of the newspaper. In the absence of such we will post it here, assuming the signatories can have no objections. It read:-

Dear Sir, 12.04.03

We write with regard to your report in todays's edition entitled "UK Independents take action after BNP infiltrations claims".

We are some of the members of the North East Committee of the UK Independence Party who have been removed from office. Your article could be read as meaning that we are involved with BNP infiltration of our Party: this is untrue and we wish to state clearly that we are not and have never been members of the BNP or similar organisation.

In addition, we believe that, if UKIP is to fight successfully for British independence from the undemocratic and financially corrupt European Union, we must have candidates who are both team players and of impeccable background. To our dismay, one of the prospective candidates approved by UKIP Head Office in London has a financial background which is most unsatisfactory, to say the least. Despite our objections, Head Office insist upon this individual continuing as a prospective candidate. This is why we have not signed the declaration of support, and this has led to us being removed from office.

Also to our dismay, Head Office has removed from the candidates list Mr Martin Cole, who is of unstained character. It was he who alerted UKIP Head Office to possible membership irregularities in the first place. As reported earlier in your newspaper, he had already indicated his unwillingness to continue as a candidate while the Party has its current leaders, and he has now been disqualified by London.

Meanwhile, we in the North East have been trying to investigate how a member of the BNP came to be sent a UKIP membership card for which he says he did not even pay. Our questions to Head Office to try to establish the facts have been completely ignored. Regrettably, this is not the first of our letters to receive no response from those in London.

Yours faithfully,
M. Rollings, M. Rouse, R. Makin and J. Wallace

posted by Martin |10:17 PM

An Article was published in Darlington's "The Northern Echo' on Saturday 12th April, 2003 under the headline UK Independents take action after BNP infiltration claims

We had naturally been anxiously awaiting the archived link to appear on the newspaper's web site, as the content matter exactly matches the subject of this blog. Day after day, however, nothing appeared. Indeed even over the weekend the whole 'thisisthenortheast' website was subject to such considerable unavailability it was practically impossible to download an online version of the printed article. We persevered, however, and can wait no longer for the archived link to make life simple. Hand-typed, so please excuse slight errors, this is what the article reported:-

NEW members are to be appointed to the North-East committee of a political party after allegations of irregularities.

An investigation was launched by the national executive committee of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) over discrepancies in the selection of candidates for next year's European elections.

The North-East committee was suspended while the inquiry was carried out, and it was announced last night that a new board will be reconstituted now the investigation has ended.

The party also confirmed that the prospective European Parliamentary candidate for the North-East, Martin Cole, has been removed from the list of approved candidates.

A spokesman said the move followed a number of "groundless allegations" made by Mr Cole regarding the infiltration of the party by members of the British National Party (BNP).

He said the irregularities in the selection of candidates for the election resulted in existing members of the committee refusing to sign an undertaking to abide by the rules of the selection process.

Those who refused to sign have been removed from the committee and a fresh round of elections will take place for the vacancies.

UK Independence Party leader Roger Knapman said: "Mr Cole made a number of allegations regarding the penetration of UKIP by the far- right.

"UKIP has always acted swiftly to ensure that the far-right does not infiltrate the party.

"In one instance we have expelled an infiltrator who was found to be a member of the BNP. In another, a member of the party who had briefly been a member of the National Front in 1969, and who subsequently was a Conservative Party member for 20 years, has remained within the party."

Mr Cole who lives in Switzerland said he stood by his comments.

He said: "I feel that I am being made a scapegoat. I am naturally upset about the disqualification but, as per my original statement, I would not wish to run for office with the present leadership running the party and with the racist links remaining uninvestigated.

"I have been given a month to appeal. The North-East regional committee has evidence relating to how a BNP member was recruited and I will have to see what happens."

posted by Martin |9:49 PM

Tuesday, April 15, 2003

On Tuesday afternoon 25th March 2003, the Party Secretary of UKIP, Mr Derek Clark advised he contacted the newspaper "The Northern Echo"of Darlington , and informed the press room that Trevor Agnew had been expelled from the United Kingdom Independence Party.

This action followed a round-robin e-mail sent to the members of UKIP's National Executive Committee advising them of the press reports linking the UKIP with the BNP.

On Wednesday afternoon 25th March Mr Clark advised:-

Quote
On Monday afternoon, March 24th, I received copy of the article in the Northern Echo in which a new member, Trevor Agnew, claimed to be a candidate or supporter of both UKIP and the BNP.
I immediately contacted Peter Troy, who at my request, called on Trevor Agnew on Tuesday morning, when it became clear that Agnew is without doubt of the BNP. Peter Troy informed him that he could not also be a UKIP member and left him a letter of resignation to sign and return, but reported to me his belief that Agnew would not sign it.
I therefore mailed Trevor Agnew a notice terminating his UKIP membership forthwith. An answerphone message from Agnew today (Weds 26th March) indicates that he has received it.
I contacted the Northern Echo on Tuesday afternoon and spoke to the journalist who wrote the original article. She readilty accepted my statement that, "UKIP has no connection with the BNP, UKIP members are not allowed to associate with the BNP and that Trevor Agnew has been expelled from the Party." She promised to place a rebuttal in the next available edition.
Derek Clark, Party Secretary
Unquote

posted by Martin |8:31 PM

Monday, April 14, 2003

On 23rd March 2003 an article appeared in Darlington's 'The Northern Echo' the historically renowned North Country daily newspaper once edited by the famous Father of Modern Journalism W.T. Stead.

The headline read Right-Wingers target town in coming local elections by Liz Lamb.

BNP and UKIP Linked

It included the following passage:-

Last night Trevor Agnew, a former UK Independence Party candidate in the town, said he was considering standing for the British National Party.

The Northern Echo understands that if Mr Agnew of Davison Road, Darlington, plans to stand, he will campaign for the North Road ward.

He said: I am toying with the idea but nothing has been decided yet.

I certainly will be supporting the Tyne and Wear drive for both the BNP and the UK Independence Party."

How can a resident of Darlington impact a political drive in Tyne and Wear, well outside any local constituency boundary, unless by casting a vote in a postal ballot for an MEP for the North East Region?

The mystery deepened however as a few days later Mr Agnew felt obliged to write to the paper following another report which included the following statement:-

Mr Agnew has previously stood for the UK Independence Party. A spokesman for the party said last night that Mr Agnew had been expelled from the group because of his links with the BNP.

Agnew expelled from UKIP

On the following day Mr Agnew's name was again to appear in the pages of 'The Northern Echo' in an article by Stuart Mackintosh entitled Asian to support BNP bid for power

Of much greater interest to those concerned with any possible connection between BNP and UKIP was Mr Agnew's letter to the same paper written on the 2nd April under the subject heading "BNP"
In a previous day's article under the headline "BNP fights record number of seats", it was reported that I was expelled from the UK Independence Party.

I was not a member. I received a membership card out of the blue and I certainly did not pay for it. UKIP approached me asking if I would stand for them in the coming elections. I said that I would consider it, but I would want to incorporate the asylum seeker racket in my campaign.

UKIP would not allow this so I refused to stand. UKIP's decision to expel me (if it is possible to expel a non-member) was, in my opinion, sour grapes. - Trevor Agnew, Darlington.

(The link to the letter page changes periodically, and the original link posted here was removed at 14:30 17th April 2003).

It was not until Monday 7th April that the next article appeared in 'The Northern Echo' once again written by Liz Lamb (Exclusive) this time under the headline .

Political Party is rocked by probe

posted by Martin |1:55 PM

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