UKIP Uncovered

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

Friday, April 23, 2004

Final Report from Resigning Returning Officer

Hardly had I concluded my somewhat despairing report on the state of the UK Independence Party in the posting that immediateky follows this, than the following arrived, which is quite clearly genuine and dated today 23rd April, 2004 - ironically St Georges Day:-

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Final Report of Returning Officer to Candidates for the NEC Elections 2004

It is with utter disgust with events surrounding the NEC election that I now write to you.

As you know, I halted the election in February because of various interferences with the election process that I considered so serious as to prevent the progress of a free and fair election at the time. Those responsible realised the seriousness of the matter and reined in their wilder excesses, allowing the dust to settle.

After much consideration as to the requirements of the Party's Constitution, I felt there was an imperative for an election to be held as soon as practicable so that the Party would have the functioning and elected NEC it needs and that the Constitution demands. The Euro-election period will need serious financial and management decisions to be made that I consider to be best discharged by a new team who will be in place to run the Party after June 10th. I therefore made arrangements for the election papers to be sent with the latest newsletter with a covering sheet to inform members about new dates for return, allowing the old election pack to remain extant and usable thus saving the Party many thousands in reprinting costs. The NEC similarly resolved at the NEC meeting of 15th March that I progress with the elections as soon as possible.

You may then share my surprise upon my return from holiday on 15th April, to find, without consultation, that the election had been stopped at the behest of the Acting Party Secretary on spurious grounds as to the validity of one candidate. Conveniently done whilst it was known I was away. Despite this I instructed the distributor to go ahead with my full sanction as Returning Officer that complied fully with the NEC's wishes.

By Tuesday of this week, I found that the Party Chairman had become involved and countermanded my request to the distributor. Having received a report from and lengthy discussion with the Acting Secretary as to reasons, I am still at a loss to find any valid reasons as to why the election should not progress. I can only conclude that various members of the leadership do not want this Party to have a functioning NEC, duly elected within the requirements of the Constitution. I will not advance my opinions as to why.

Matters have taken a further turn for the worse as I have been told that the election papers have been taken away from the distributors with whom I have closely liaised to ensure security of the ballot. The distributor has informed me that they were collected by none other than one of Nigel Farage's political employees. Internal elections are to be taken seriously; the fact that an unauthorised employee has been directed to take control of the ballot papers goes against the rules and spirit of any election process. Furthermore, as I write to you I have no idea where the ballot papers now reside, despite enquiries.

E-mail queries of the Party Chairman have merely elicited threats against my reputation. In such circumstances there is no way that I can allow my name to be attached to this NEC election, it has descended into farce and sham. I hope you will share my disgust that the Party will now need to incur the costs of a full reprint of the election brochure as the CVs provided by all candidates will be incoherently out of date after the Euro-elections and after such a fiasco some candidates may conclude that they do not wish to be put forward for the NEC at all.

All I can ask is that you bring personal pressure to bear upon those responsible in an attempt to bring the Party back into a Constitutional and legal state. I am certainly at the end of my tether in my attempts to keep this Party on an even keel, with its obligations duly discharged to its members and Constitution, let alone within boundaries of good common sense.

This letter therefore serves as my resignation as Returning Officer, as I will not be associated professionally or personally with what has become a perverted and shambolic process. Threats from the Party Chairman do not concern me but merely adds to the stink that now surrounds this election.

Yours sincerely

Craig Mackinlay
Party Vice Chairman
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posted by Martin |6:30 PM