UKIP Uncovered

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

Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Statement on Stalled UKIP NEC Elections

THE NEC RETURNING OFFICER SHOOTS DOWN PARTY CHAIRMAN'S CLAIMS ABOUT NEC ELECTIONS

At the 9th February 2004 NEC meeting, David Lott attempted to claim that the NEC elections were delayed by 'Damian Hockney's legal actions'.

We could not see how that could possibly have been true and of course, now have the necessary proof to hand. Party Chairman Lott had suppressed the Returning Officer's report about the real reason for the delays; even though it had been provided to the meeting for distribution.

Well, the Returning Officer's Report did make quite clear that it was David Lott who was to blame.

And now, of course, they are trying to get rid of the Returning Officer! No surprise there then!

Here is the Returning Officer's report that has just been sent to candidates...

Quote

Report of Returning Officer to Candidates for the NEC Elections 2004

You will obviously be aware that the elections to the National Executive Committee have been delayed. Upon my instruction as Returning Officer, the NEC election supplement was not posted out with the February newsletter. I had delayed writing to you as I had hoped that by now, matters would have been resolved and that the mailing to members would now be underway with the election proceeding to a near normal timetable; this I now appreciate was way too hopeful. The initial decision to delay had to be made on Thursday 5th February following a full 8 days of negotiations over a number of comments about candidates made by Party Chairman David Lott, in particular a letter sent to branch officials on 26th January 2004 and an e-mail to the NEC of 4th February 2004.

Chronology of events

David Lott sent out a letter dated 26th January to an unknown number of members headed 'Notice of Disciplinary Hearing Verdict', concerning Damian Hockney. The distribution seems to be predominantly to branch officers. David did not consult with me prior to his posting and we subsequently had a more than a heated discussion on Wednesday 28th January. I felt it to have been grossly unwise to distribute such a letter on barely the eve of NEC elections, especially as Party rules dictate that Disciplinary actions subject to appeal, or in the case of an NEC member, subject to NEC scrutiny, should not be made public. This interpretation holds even if you take the position that the Disciplinary meeting of January 24th was wholly sound, a position that is in itself held out to question by many, not least Damian's lawyers.

As Returning Officer I felt that the 'level playing field' under which I am willing to conduct an election had been undermined sufficiently for me to require a rebalance to be issued. At this time I was also under increasing pressure from Damian Hockney's lawyers to offer redress. I undertook an initiative whereby I would write a letter to the mailing list used that in my mind would level the playing field and allow the election to proceed. Damian was happy with this initiative, as was David initially, with David sending me his form of words and Damian his, which over the next day I married up into what I felt was a fairly soft and reasonable report that allowed no 'loss of face' to either David or Damian whilst being adequate in my mind to level the field and clear the matter. David Lott unfortunately dug in and would not allow my form of words to be issued. This stubbornness was difficult to comprehend given that legal threats were in the air, and in my view, my words did not impinge on David's authority as Party Chairman.

Matters took a turn for the worse upon the issuance from David to the NEC of a document on 4th February, written by Mark Croucher making very serious accusations against a number of NEC candidates; for these implications to be disseminated on the eve of an election is even more serious without incontrovertible proof. I cannot repeat these allegations as they are subject to legal action.

My ability to allow the NEC election to proceed diminished still further as I was receiving reports of telephone calls being made by at least one NEC member and an MEP employee to various branch officials further embellishing the findings of the Croucher 'report' and adding additional negativities about Damian Hockney in particular.

As you will now be aware, Damian has issued High Court writs against David Lott and Mark Croucher regarding what he considers to be serious defamations in this report. A writ has now also been issued against Mike Nattrass following a letter to West Midlands members which lawyers also claim is seriously defamatory. I do not consider these writs to have been issued lightly, as we are all too aware of the costs involved with such actions. Despite pressure from David Lott upon me to continue with the election, I would have been most unwise with this backdrop to have proceeded with it. This would have laid myself and the Party open to action. David Lott assured me that the Party would support me at law if I were to proceed. Without NEC resolution to confirm this I was not prepared to proceed, but more importantly, I could not in any event allow the election to proceed due to my own conscience telling me that the playing field had been distorted irreparably by the actions of the Party Chairman in particular and others in the background through the distribution of reports and phone calls being made.

Constitutional position of the current NEC.

Because of the delay to the election, there have been arguments put forward that members who have served for three years are now 'timed-out' for service on the NEC. I do not agree that this was the intent of our Constitution as drafted when hiccups such as this could not have been foreseen. The Party obviously must have a functioning and quorate NEC at all times. Matters are
moving swiftly with an emergency NEC timetabled for the coming week and an appeal by Damian Hockney to the Party's Disciplinary appeal panel, which I hope will remove barriers to the ongoing delay of the election. I will then make another statement to the Party as Returning Officer which will hopefully be more detailed.

Please be assured that the action I have taken would have been the same and similarly proportional had any NEC candidate been similarly treated and that I have no favour, bias or feelings on this matter. I did not at any time wish this election to be delayed and hope that events will allow it to go ahead as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely

Craig Mackinlay

Party Vice Chairman

posted by Martin |3:37 PM