Gerard Battens statement

mkpdavies · 16-02-2005, 12:41 AM

As I saw a few people asking about Batten the other day, I went and dug this out.

http://www.gerardbattenmep.co.uk/new...cat=7&TB=home3

Quote:

OUT OF THE FRYING PAN…..?

I am naturally disappointed that Damian Hockney and Peter Hulme-Cross have decided to leave UKIP and join Robert Kilroy-Silk’s new Party. They should seriously consider resigning from their seats as no-one voted Veritas in June 04.

This will not distract the Party or UKIP London Region from preparing for the coming general election. I would also like to restate my own position in order to avoid any unwarranted speculation: I have no intention whatsoever of joining any other party.

UKIP has its own distinct identity and it is a democratic party that belongs to its members, not to any one person, or indeed any 'clique'. If the departing members have some well-founded criticisms of the leadership and the direction of the party they may yet find that they have left the frying pan for the fire.

As I stated in a press release issued on 21st January I regarded Robert Kilroy- Silk as a great electoral asset and I did all I could to persuade him to stay and play a positive role, and to help him reach an accommodation with the Party leadership. Unfortunately he did not want to work within the democratic constitutional structures of the party.

Robert has made a variety of comments about UKIP and its MEPs. There are of course two sides to every story. What Robert does not say is that he was offered several positions which would have given him effective control of the party, but not the title of Leader. These positions included: Head of the Policy Committee; Head of the General Election Campaign; and the party's public face with the media. He declined all these offers. Robert made it quite clear that he would only accept leadership of UKIP, and on his own terms.

I encouraged him to seek election for UKIP's National Executive Committee (for which elections are currently underway), he said that he "could not work on a committee". I asked how he could then expect to lead the party? He did not answer.

UKIP's task remains the same: to secure Britain's unconditional withdrawal from the European Union through the ballot box. Nothing is going to deter us from achieving that aim. Preparations for the next general election are well under way in London. Our policy remains the same: unconditional withdrawal from the European Union, and no electoral deals with any other party.

ENDS

B.A.Ware · 16-02-2005, 01:06 AM

This is wrong Kilroy Has been on record saying that he was offered these positions, which as he said he would be spokesman for the party and head of this and that but said how can you be in charge of this and that with no authority to be in charge you have to be leader. Now kilroy might be wrong but Batten whom I admired for not signing that pact against Kilroy has just gone down in my rating 100% and I will be writing to him to say so.

mkpdavies · 16-02-2005, 01:10 AM

Battens just calling it as he sees it. He is one of our good ones if you ask me. Won't kiss the leaderships ****, but wouldn't suck up to RKS either.

Good man!

B.A.Ware · 16-02-2005, 01:27 AM

I agree but RKS has been on record about the jobs he has been offerred.

mkpdavies · 16-02-2005, 01:34 AM

I have heard a lot of people on the record, and they all give you their versions of the truth. That is all Battens statement above is!

I trust Battens statement more than most, as he took the most sensible and neutral position througout the troubles.

B.A.Ware · 16-02-2005, 01:56 AM

But I have heard RKS say about the jobs he has been offered without the power to for fill them.
That not my point I respected Gerard Battern for being impartial but what he has stated in this statement is as follows.

Quote:

What Robert does not say is that he was offered several positions, which would have given him effective control of the party

This is a complete lie he did say it because I heard it

mkpdavies · 16-02-2005, 02:09 AM

I have seen RKS make the statement once that he was offered some roles without power and this was intollerable. I will never really know what he was offered, but David Lott said he was offered to run the whole General election campaign??? Now that was not made clear at all by RKS, so there is a bit of confusion over what he really was offered and I think this is what Batten is getting at. Dismissing the roles out of hand saying they were useless, is in effect not being honest about what he was offered.

It comes down to who you believe again, and I have to say, I believe RKS was offered some roles with real possiblities, but he really did only want the leadership.

This is all batten is getting at, so I think it is a little harsh to call him a liar over it. He could have said RKS never admited he was offered posisions of power, but isn't that nit picking?

Lawrie Boxall · 16-02-2005, 08:12 AM

I don't think Gerrard is lying. I don't think he is any happier with the way UKIP is run than RKS was, but he believes it is better to continue working from within the party. Gerrard being a decent man, it would be against his principles to move to another party. He would consider that as a betrayal of those who voted UKIP last year.
Problem is that he is bound by collective responsibility and cannot be openly critical of the leadership. But while this is the case his cause can be advanced by reasoned criticism from people like me and others on the outside. Ultimately it will be up to the members to do something - or to do nothing.
Going back to RKS - I think he was absolutely right to refuse the job offers. He would not have been given effective control of the party as Gerrard says. Control would have remained with the leader and Nigel backed by the misguided on the NEC and the bulk of the MEPs. Kilroy, not being part of their clique would have been purged sooner or later, probably immediately after a successful election campaign - although it is true to say that his position would have been stronger by then, but so would Roger's and Nigel's.

Bluemerle · 16-02-2005, 09:59 AM

Kilroy said he was offered a knighthood which he turned down. Does anyone believe him?

Hartlepool · 16-02-2005, 12:57 PM

I dont! .But you've got to admit it,he would look great in his shining armour,galloping off INTO phpbb_the sunset,screeming "UKIP,FOLLOW ME".

16-02-2005, 01:10 AM	#3 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,850 Party: Libertarian Party	Battens just calling it as he sees it. He is one of our good ones if you ask me. Won't kiss the leaderships ****, but wouldn't suck up to RKS either. Good man! __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

16-02-2005, 01:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,850 Party: Libertarian Party	I have heard a lot of people on the record, and they all give you their versions of the truth. That is all Battens statement above is! I trust Battens statement more than most, as he took the most sensible and neutral position througout the troubles. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

16-02-2005, 02:09 AM	#7 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,850 Party: Libertarian Party	I have seen RKS make the statement once that he was offered some roles without power and this was intollerable. I will never really know what he was offered, but David Lott said he was offered to run the whole General election campaign??? Now that was not made clear at all by RKS, so there is a bit of confusion over what he really was offered and I think this is what Batten is getting at. Dismissing the roles out of hand saying they were useless, is in effect not being honest about what he was offered. It comes down to who you believe again, and I have to say, I believe RKS was offered some roles with real possiblities, but he really did only want the leadership. This is all batten is getting at, so I think it is a little harsh to call him a liar over it. He could have said RKS never admited he was offered posisions of power, but isn't that nit picking? __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

16-02-2005, 01:06 AM	#2 (permalink)
B.A.Ware Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Birmingham Posts: 4,506 Party: UKIP	This is wrong Kilroy Has been on record saying that he was offered these positions, which as he said he would be spokesman for the party and head of this and that but said how can you be in charge of this and that with no authority to be in charge you have to be leader. Now kilroy might be wrong but Batten whom I admired for not signing that pact against Kilroy has just gone down in my rating 100% and I will be writing to him to say so.

16-02-2005, 01:27 AM	#4 (permalink)
B.A.Ware Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Birmingham Posts: 4,506 Party: UKIP	I agree but RKS has been on record about the jobs he has been offerred.

16-02-2005, 08:12 AM	#8 (permalink)
Lawrie Boxall Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sandhurst Posts: 1,015	I don't think Gerrard is lying. I don't think he is any happier with the way UKIP is run than RKS was, but he believes it is better to continue working from within the party. Gerrard being a decent man, it would be against his principles to move to another party. He would consider that as a betrayal of those who voted UKIP last year. Problem is that he is bound by collective responsibility and cannot be openly critical of the leadership. But while this is the case his cause can be advanced by reasoned criticism from people like me and others on the outside. Ultimately it will be up to the members to do something - or to do nothing. Going back to RKS - I think he was absolutely right to refuse the job offers. He would not have been given effective control of the party as Gerrard says. Control would have remained with the leader and Nigel backed by the misguided on the NEC and the bulk of the MEPs. Kilroy, not being part of their clique would have been purged sooner or later, probably immediately after a successful election campaign - although it is true to say that his position would have been stronger by then, but so would Roger's and Nigel's.

16-02-2005, 09:59 AM	#9 (permalink)
Bluemerle Uber Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dorset. Posts: 3,252	Kilroy said he was offered a knighthood which he turned down. Does anyone believe him?

16-02-2005, 12:57 PM	#10 (permalink)
Hartlepool Uber Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North East England Posts: 6,785 Party: Free England Party	I dont! .But you've got to admit it,he would look great in his shining armour,galloping off INTO phpbb_the sunset,screeming "UKIP,FOLLOW ME".