UKIP Uncovered

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

Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Further Defamation and Disinformation

The NEC of UKIP have today been informed of an e-mail sent to a list of blind copy recipients by known Farage henchman and Ashford office operative, John Moran.

This is not the first time this name has cropped up on our pages as can be seen from these links:- 17th December Crisis Update, 23rd December The Head Office Lockout, 4th January UKIP's SW Regional Organiser and 28th January Four Letter Filth.

Moran's highest profile action came during the so-called recent office lock-out. It was Moran who called Surrey member Chris Browne from New York and told him - mid December - that he had been told that Michael Harvey was planning to barricade himself into the party's Head Office. Very embarrassingly for Moran, Chris Browne is a very straight guy and simply wrote on ind-uk that he had been told this by John Moran, and gave that as a (very reasonable)
explanation as to why he had been persuaded to go up to head office and help eject the staff.

We understand that although pressed, John Moran has never convincingly explained why he might have said this nor who told him to do so. So who is he? This is what we know. If anything here is incorrect we will of course amend any wrong details on being so advised.

We understand Moran might at one time have been a double glazing salesman, nowadays he is certainly a close associate of Nigel Farage. He seems deeply involved in the Ashford Telesales operation even possibly being a director of the company running the business. Does John Moran earn money from the telesales operation in any way, or as a result of his involvement with the party's Ashford operation? It is a question that several have asked but no definitive answer has been found. If he does then a situation has now arisen duplicating that of Mark Croucher, UKIP's press spokesman, who while drawing a salary directly resulting from UKIP's MEP representation within the EDD group in Europe is used as an attack dog against volunteers freely devoting their time, energies and money to UKIP in an effort to promote the real objectives of the party and its members.

In this instance the attack was launched within hours of the end of an NEC meeting.

It's clear he must have been briefed just after the meeting ,most probably by Nigel Farage or Chairman Lott, but in any event, clearly by them or one of their close supporters.

I attach John Moran's e-mail of 16th March 2004 here.

Quote

Gentlemen,

I am deliberately BCCing this e-mail to you.

It is shocking to learn that the Party Treasurer was forced to admit at yesterdays NEC meeting that he was wired for sound and recording and that he has done the same at all NEC meetings for over a year!

It was agreed that the NEC elections would go ahead next month, notwithstanding Damian's threats to all and sundry.

Please do not forward this e-mail, but you are free to use the information as you see fit.

Regards.

John Moran

Unquote

We have put this matter to Damian for his reaction which was as follows:-

"How on earth can we have fair and proper elections if these type of attacks are inspired by NEC members on the basis of false information and smears, and issued within hours of the NEC meeting to attack candidates?

Two candidates have been smeared here. John de Roeck was not "forced to admit" anything. And I do not issue, and have not issued, "threats to all and sundry" in regard to the NEC elections. This is a clear statement that the NEC elections are going ahead in spite of threats made by myself. No such threats have ever been made. So the attack is untrue.

In comments also made to other members of UKIP's NEC we understand that Damian has amplified on this as follows:-

Quote
" As you all know, the NEC elections have been delayed by the attacks of the Party Chairman upon candidates, including myself. These are serious smears to add to the earlier ones, are clearly malicious and inspired by the leadership, and I am asking Nigel Farage and David Lott here: "Did you inform your colleague John Moran of what happened at the NEC to enable him to mount this divisive attack?". David Lott and Nigel Farage both work closely with John Moran at Ashford, but it may indeed be someone else who has passed this information
on.

The matter is made worse by the fact that John Moran is a candidate for these elections.

On the last occasion when John Moran was involved on behalf of the leadership in a problem, it was claimed by Surrey member Chris Browne that John Moran had told him on behalf of the leadership that Michael Harvey was planning to barricade himself into the party's former head office. This of course was untrue.

If it was not Nigel or David, then who did give John Moran this partial information of a confidential and as-yet unminuted meeting to enable him to mount an attack on two NEC election candidates?

Does John Moran earn money from the telesales operation in any way, or as a result of his involvement with the party's Ashford operation? If that is the case, then it is like the Mark Croucher situation - unacceptable that a consultant/employee is used to attack other party members within hours of the end of an NEC meeting.

These are outrageous remarks by John Moran designed to damage candidates' chances in the NEC elections and specifically referring to the NEC elections in relation to one of the candidates. Does anyone disagree with this assessment?

I regard it as despicable to use staff and paid consultants like Mark Croucher to spread smears on behalf of the employers.
Unquote

posted by Martin |12:16 PM