UKIP Uncovered

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

Saturday, December 11, 2004

Nattrass on Chechnya and a UKIP Press Release

The following are the words of Mike Nattrass, Deputy Leader of UKIP (also read the press report linked here) on the EU and Chechnya:-

“Well now we have an EU Constitution and if we sign it, it binds us. It binds us to the European Union and under article 1.59 we cannot get out without the permission of the other states and they will decide our fate by Qualified Majority Voting! In the same way Chechnya is part of the Soviet Union we are being dragged and locked into the European Union. I hope we never have to fight our way out because of this clause".

Our comments on this comparison coming shortly after the dreadful Beslan school massacre may be read from here, here (calling for Nattrass to be removed from his post of Deputy Leader) and here.

IT WAS NOT, OF COURSE, WHAT WAS SAID SO MUCH AS THE INCREDIBLY INEPT TIMING - SO SOON AFTER SO MANY HIGH-PROFILE DEATHS, ALL MUCH TELEVISED AND THE SHEER HEARTLESSNESS OF THE BLOODY SLAUGHTER OF CHILDREN THAT PUTS THESE REMARKS BEYOND THE PALE - AND A MAN WHO COULD REFUSE TO UNDERSTAND HIS OFFENCE OR WITHDRAW THE COMMENTS, THAT PLACES MIKE NATTRASS UKIP DEPUTY LEADER TOTALLY BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION!

How can any with a just or worthwhile cause seek to liken it to such an act?

Now read this Press Release issued by UKIP last evening, following a programme on the BBC Radio Four programme World at One which may be listened to from this link :

Quote

Press release

The UK Independence Party (UKIP) Deputy Leader and MEP for the West Midlands, Mike Nattrass, has been short listed for the Parliamentary constituency of Stone at the next General Election expected in May.

The current MP, Conservative Bill Cash, will face an electoral contest from UKIP for the first time. Mr Cash describes himself as ‘eurosceptic’ yet despite his posturing voted for Maastricht – the treaty that made us all citizens of the European Union.

Mr Nattrass said, “The time has come for our elected representative’s to stand up against the EU – So far Mr Cash has been posing as a eurosceptic. Does he believe in the sovereignty of parliament and the self determination of the British electorate in all matters or does he believe that powers should be ceded to the EU? If he believes in the former he should sign a UKIP membership application form immediately and fight the seat as a UKIP candidate.”

Paul Barnish, Chairman of the UKIP Stone Constituency Association said “I am delighted that this branch will stand up against Bill Cash, who for too long has been trying to get the best of both worlds by facing in both directions.”

The UKIP is the only party offering the electorate the chance of withdrawing from the European Union.

Unquote

The statement by party leader Roger Knapman on the programme clearly confirms that the decision rests with the local Constituency Association, but then goes on to state that the candidate would be Deputy Leader Mike Nattrass, who at that time was not even on the constituency's candidate list, as may be gathered from an e-mail widely circulated within the party by the Branch Chairman as late as 7:00 pm yesterday.

All the available evidence seems to indicate that Mike Nattrass has been impose upon the Stone Constituency Association, who at the time of the BBC broadcast had no knowledge of the UKIP Deputy Leader's candidacy. An event that almost exactly duplicates what occurred at the North East Region MEP candidate hustings in Middlesborough in early 2003.

Here are Knapman's broadcast words - absolute proof this man has no respect for democratic procedure nor the party constitution:

Roger Knapman - "The decision was to fight every seat, although the final decision rests with the local UKIP association and they have decided that Bill Cash, although sceptical, does not want to get out of the European Union. We do and Bill has been a little unlucky, he has got the party deputy leader, Mike Nattrass, a powerful campaigner against him. And Mike Nattrass was saying let's get out of the European Union and Bill Cash will be, as he has been for the last 30 years, hoping to re-negotiate some part of the treaties."

posted by Martin |9:17 AM