UKIP Uncovered

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

Wednesday, January 28, 2004

Four Letter Filth

The latest information we have heard on Monday's London meeting is that the atmosphere was indeed hostile towards the Party Leader Knapman and Chairman Lott. Indeed among the few supportive of the leadership were some members from Bexley who left early, reportedly mouthing some four letter words.

This report jogs our memory to post the following exchange, which vividly illustrates the character of David Samuel Camps, variously described as advisor or spokesman and certainly employee of Nigel Farage MEP:

Quote
From: "Dave Camps"
Date: 2003/12/19 Fri PM 07:24:38 GMT
To:
Subject: Re: Statement

Schofield,

Your e-mail above is so full of lies I cannot believe that any one with any modicum of intelligence would believe it. You and Hockney have been lying so much to destroy the Party, for motives which remain a complete anethema, to leave one breathless. In future I will be responding to Hockney's shit in kind and will look forward to him, and you, taking me to court, because I and my members are sick of the pair of you!

RESIGN NOW - THE TWO OF YOU

David Samuel-Camps BA (Hons) Dip PA
Chairman Eastleigh Branch

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----- Original Message -----
From:
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2003 8:53 AM
Subject: Statement

STATEMENT

From: Mr Tony Scholefield,
National Executive & founder member, UK Independence Party (UKIP)
Tel/Fax:
Date: 17th December 2003

Subject: Break-in at UK Independence Party HQ

For the second time in five years the UK Independence Party's leaders have broken into their own offices, dismissed all staff and volunteers and spirited away Party records.

On Wednesday 17th December Michael Harvey, the General Secretary, and Miss L Antoine, Head Office Administrator, together with other office staff and volunteers, arrived at the Party's Head Office, 54 Broadwick Street, London W1, to find that they had been locked out by the Party Leader, Roger Knapman, and Party Secretary Derek Clark, with assistance from associates of John Moran, Nigel Farage MEP's chief assistant at his Ashford Telesales operation.

This followed a controversial decision by a majority of the Party's ruling National Executive Committee to move the Party's Head Office to industrial premises on the fringe of Birmingham rather than Westminster offices identified by London members. This triggered a protest by all the London staff and volunteers who work at Head Office, and many UKIP Branch Chairmen.
The General Secretary, Michael Harvey (tel 01483...... ) had been seeking confirmation that the new "office" has the necessary planning consents, fire certificate and employers liability insurance cover. Derek Clark refused to answer these concerns. Instead he dismissed Michael Harvey yesterday.

This follows a campaign by Roger Knapman, Party Leader, Party Chairman, David Lott and Nigel Farage MEP to centralise power in the Party. Initially legal threats were used to disband the Yorkshire and North East Regional Committees of UKIP. Later there was a failed attempt to dismiss the Party Treasurer, the widely respected John de Roeck. At a hastily summoned meeting of concerned Branch Chairmen, Nigel Farage attacked the National Executive, claiming it was frustrating the leadership's initiatives and should be slimmed down. This was a reaction to criticism of the spending of the Party's entire cash reserve (£100,000) by Roger Knapman and David Lott without authorisation in futile campaigning for the Welsh and Scottish elections.

This is a case of history repeating itself. In October 1999, just after the European Election, Nigel Farage personally led a raid on the Party's Head Office in London in conjunction with the then leader and the then MEP, Michael Holmes and removed the Head Office to Salisbury, sacking the party's staff. This had to be reversed some three months later.

Meanwhile UKIP MEPs have been abandoned by their research Director, DrRichard North, (........) a close collaborator of Christopher Booker, both regular contributors to the Sunday Telegraph and Daily Mail, who wrote a blistering attack on Farage's management, including the remark "If you are ever to succeed in attracting and retaining high grade staff, you must give
them a clear idea of their roles, allow them to use their skills, and then protect them from arbitrary and perverse demands and irrational changes."
Unquote

A true flavour of the sort who gather round those at the head of UKIP?

posted by Martin | 11:35 AM