Statement: UKIP/Veritas & the London Assembly

Mark Croucher · 02-06-2005, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UKIP Press Office

For Immediate Release – 14:30hrs 2nd June 2005

Statement: UKIP/Veritas Group & the London Assembly

The U.K. Independence Party wishes to make clear that it has no connection with the UKIP/Veritas Group in the London Assembly, and that the re-naming of the group to include UKIP’s name was done with neither authorisation by nor the knowledge of the U.K. Independence Party. UKIP will raise the issue of the improper use of its name with both the Assembly and with the Electoral Commission.

As regards the Veritas London Assembly members, Damian Hockney and Peter Hulme-Cross, UKIP confirms that it has recently been approached by them with a view to their leaving Veritas and re-joining UKIP.

UKIP has made its position perfectly clear. Both Mr Hockney and Mr Hulme-Cross, who were elected not as individuals but as UKIP representatives, should resign their seats, allowing the next genuine UKIP candidates on the list to replace them. Their decision to retain their seats after leaving UKIP was and remains a gross betrayal of the trust London’s voters placed in them.

UKIP can also confirm that there are no circumstances under which either Mr Hockney or Mr Hulme-Cross would be re-admitted to UKIP membership. Mr Hockney resigned publicly last February, whilst Mr Hulme-Cross was stripped of his membership last month. Their sudden re-conversion to the UKIP cause following the electoral mauling Veritas received is clearly due not to principled belief but to electoral expediency of the type UKIP has spent over a decade fighting within Europe. Whilst UKIP would hope to regain it’s seats and its ability to represent London’s voters, we will not do so at the price of accepting the current, illegitimate, incumbents. ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Gerard Batten MEP, UKIP London,
Mark Croucher, UKIP Press Office, 0207-222-9365 or 07960-584161

mkpdavies · 02-06-2005, 02:19 PM

Sounds fair enough to me.

I'm still stunned that they tried to pull it.

02-06-2005, 02:24 PM

a UKIP press release i actually agree with,

Well done UKIP any other decision would have made you look week and to be honest i hope they are asked to change the name, stay as independants or as the press release is requesting stand down

I dont think the last one is going to happen but if either of the other two happen it would be a comprimise

Roger Gough · 02-06-2005, 02:37 PM

Top decision - but does the release date of the message - 19th April - suggest that this wrangle has been going on for a while?

Mark Croucher · 02-06-2005, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Gough

Top decision - but does the release date of the message - 19th April - suggest that this wrangle has been going on for a while?

Apologies, it was my mistake when cutting and pasting. I'll go and stand in a corner.

Rgds

Mark

Anthony Butcher · 02-06-2005, 03:06 PM

Thank goodness for that!

smooveOp · 02-06-2005, 03:16 PM

Well done :!: :!: :!:

gareth2 · 02-06-2005, 03:29 PM

Thats one heck of a mistake. :?:

Regards,
Gareth.

Nigel Garage · 02-06-2005, 04:05 PM

From the London Assembly -

Quote:

Veritas Welcomes UKIP Climbdown
Released 02 Jun 2005

Damian Hockney, Leader of the Veritas-UKIP Group at the London Assembly, has expressed delight that the UKIP leadership has abandoned its much publicised threat of legal action over the London Assembly seats. "While we always knew that such legal action would fail, it is useful to know that the approaches made to us by UKIP during the campaign have been carried further with the dropping of any intention to launch legal actions."

Indeed during the General Election campaign, UKIP MEP Gerard Batten approached the London Assembly members Damian Hockney and Peter Hulme-Cross to ensure that all parties worked together in future. The Assembly members felt at the time that this could be misinterpreted as an attempt to cause problems for Robert Kilroy-Silk. A few elements in the leadership remained a little too obsessed with Kilroy and it was thought that re-involving UKIP in the Assembly at that time might cause more problems. Requests by UKIP that the name be changed during the campaign were therefore put on ice.

This is made clear in the exchange of letters between Damian Hockney, Peter Hulme-Cross and Gerard Batten MEP. There have been mischievous rumours that the London Assembly members have approached UKIP. "We are delighted to say that it was UKIP who approached us about future co-operation and not the other way round," adds Damian Hockney. "It's clear from the correspondence that it was UKIP that made the approach. It was they who brought up the issue of memberships. So important was this to UKIP that the Party Leader of UKIP himself Roger Knapman paid his first visit to London Assembly members as part of the attempt to ensure greater co-operation."

That is why, in the spirit of co-operation initially extended by UKIP, it was decided to alter the name and re-involve UKIP at the London Assembly. "We have had a large number of letters and e-mails praising us for this move and expressing gratitude for further moves towards unity and an end to antagonism," says Damian Hockney. "There will always be some rogue elements more interested in internal politics, but I believe that the grassroots and sensible elements on all sides will win through and carry on the fight against the EU, united where possible."

"All parties have people who are more interested in navel gazing and internal politics. What we are doing is for the good of our cause and for the grassroots of the eurosceptic movement who look to us to take a responsible and co-operative lead."

Mark Croucher · 02-06-2005, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Moss

From the London Assembly -

Quote:

Self-justifying lies and distortions snipped for brevity

Are there any lies you won't tell?

And who mentioned dropping the legal action?

Mark

02-06-2005, 02:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 31,102 Party: Libertarian Party	Sounds fair enough to me. I'm still stunned that they tried to pull it. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

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02-06-2005, 02:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
Guest Posts: n/a	a UKIP press release i actually agree with, Well done UKIP any other decision would have made you look week and to be honest i hope they are asked to change the name, stay as independants or as the press release is requesting stand down I dont think the last one is going to happen but if either of the other two happen it would be a comprimise

02-06-2005, 02:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
Roger Gough Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Hotel California Posts: 708	Top decision - but does the release date of the message - 19th April - suggest that this wrangle has been going on for a while?

02-06-2005, 03:06 PM	#6 (permalink)
Anthony Butcher Administrator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Long Ashton, Bristol Posts: 10,192 Party: None	Thank goodness for that!

02-06-2005, 03:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
smooveOp Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Middlesex Posts: 571	Well done :!: :!: :!:

02-06-2005, 03:29 PM	#8 (permalink)
gareth2 Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 731	Thats one heck of a mistake. :?: Regards, Gareth.