Let The People Decide Campaign

steve allison · 13-09-2005, 05:00 PM

The Let The People Decide Campaign is all about creating momentum for our message at a time when we know that the British public are well aware of shortcomings of the tyrannical bureaucracy in Brussels. Every day we hear of another area INTO phpbb_which the EU is sticking its nose and causing harm to our interests.

We must use this time to get our views out to the public and at the same time force the political establishment to defend its untenable position. We are the only major political party who can and does speak up for the man in the street.

Please use the next few months to spread the message by using the petition to get out onto the streets, writing to the papers, MPs, MEPs etc.. Make sure your friends know about the campaign.

The campaign’s website can be found at:

www.letthepeopledecide.co.uk

We must get the EU back on the agenda especially while Britain holds the Presidency of the EU.

By Petrina Holdsworth – UKIP Chairman

BASILDON BOY · 13-09-2005, 06:55 PM

May I make the following suggestion.

During 1992 when the Maastricht Treaty was a big issue a group of us had a Maastricht Treaty Referendum Petition.

We used to set up a table in the high street - covered with a union Jack and Euro Flag. We had posters displayed and 3 or 4 petition form on boards with bill dog clips and pens cellotaped to string attached to the boards. We had eleastic bands around the boards to keep the petition form from blowing away. We also had thousands of leaflets to give away to people.

The table was manned by 3 or 4 people who would talk to the people about the Maastricht Treaty and a further 3 or 4 people would be dotted around handing out leaflets to people.

We had someone with a loudhailer calling out anti-Maastricht slogans and anti EEC/EC messgaes.

On a good day over 1000 anti-EC/Maastricht people would come to the table and sign the petition. We would make lots of useful contacts.

UKIP branches could do the same thing - they could hand out membership leaflets - it will raise the profile of you local UKIP branch - press release the fact you will be holding a petition event - after the event send a press release together with photos to the local press. If you let your local radio stations know they might ask you for an interview (they are always desperate for news stories!)

The aim is to raise the profile of UKIP - it is also a chance to meet like minded people/potential members/potential voters

Lawrie Boxall · 14-09-2005, 08:49 AM

The party members want success in the next general election. (It has not been clear - at least to me - if that wish was ever held by the leaders, despite their assurances that it was. I suppose it depends on how you define success). Assuming I am wrong, it follows that everything the party does in the next few years must be aimed at that goal - that is really why i think this petition is an unecessary diversion.

UKIP has already shown it has a hard line core support for its anti-EU message of around 10% at best. There is also evidence from the street campaigning that the wider electorate, more concerned with their jobs and mortgages, do not like the EU very much and that it is sypathetic to many of UKIP's arguments - but cannot yet vote for UKIP.

It is not that they are not ready to vote for UKIP because I think they are ready, have been for some time and indeed would like to see a sysmic shift in British politics. The reason they cannot vote for UKIP is because UKIP is not ready for them because it does not address their primary concerns, jobs, mortgages, education, health, pensions etc. While UKIP refuses to address these issues the situation will not change. Producing a manifesto a few weeks before a general elction does not count as "addressing these issues". These issues have to become the core of UKIP's campaigning and the single issue has for the time being to be relegated to the back burner.

When finally the UKIP leadership realises where it must go it needs to focus on gaining the voters trust in these vital areas. If voters can begin to trust UKIP, primarily on these economic matters, (as they did finally trust New Labour in 1997 despite the many predictions that there would never be another Labour government), then they will begin to take on board the ideas about independence and democracy and the single issue on which UKIP was founded.

Just repeating the words "free trade agreement" will not be enough though - in fact it is counter-productive at this time. There needs to be a set of guiding principles which will help people understand the importance of these ideas.

B.A.Ware · 14-09-2005, 07:11 PM

I agree with Lawrie, we might get some media attention and it might do us some good in a European election but come a general election it will do us no good at all.
When the bloke on the street has just been made redundant, he can’t get his children in to the local school and his mother has had to sell her house to pay for a place in a nursing home what box will he tick when he walks INTO phpbb_the voting booth.

Will he vote Ukip, he has heard all about their anti EU stance and he probably agrees with it but what are they going to do about his immediate problems “nothing” because our core policy is the EU and not addressing the immediate problems of the nation.

Now he has another choice “Labour” they promise to:
Reduce employment,
Create new jobs through retraining
Build new schools and academy’s
Build more hospitals, give patients a choice of hospitals
Reduce illegal immigration
And best of all they will bring back some of the powers from Brussels.

Now I now most of the above is ******** but if you wasn’t politically minded and most people are not, who would you vote for “bloody hell even I would vote labour”.
Is it just a coincidence that most of the poorest and oppressed people believe in some form of religion.
People need hope and the Labour party give it to them.

When you go and ask people to vote Ukip and they ask one of the following questions what will your answer be.

What will you do about:-------------------- Our Answer

UNEMPLOYMENT------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
COUNCIL HOUSING--------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
HOSPITALS------------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
EDUCATION-----------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
CRIME------------------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
SOCIAL SECURITY----------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
DISABILITY BENEFIT--------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
DRUGS------------------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
TRANSPORT-------------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
PENSIONS---------------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
ENVIRONMENT-----------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
DEFENCE-----------------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION

I could go on but I think you get my point.

Personally I think this petition is partially to appease the membership, there can be no accusations of the leadership doing nothing, but it is next to nothing. You can have petitions from now until doomsday and it will not get us out of the EU and that is a fact.
Does anyone really think that Tony Blair will have a referendum because of this petition, not a hope in hell, Tony Blair will have a referendum when he knows he can win one.

I know what the petition will do it will give Nigel something to rant on about at the conference.
What I would like to see at conference is Nigel saying he is fully committed to a fully fledged party and we will fight elections not on a single issue but on domestic policies, nothing less will do.

C_steam · 14-09-2005, 08:11 PM

Ouch! Duck! Aviating oinkers on the horizon.....................

Percentage · 14-09-2005, 08:19 PM

The petition is nothing other than a complete waste of time & energy,the fact it is primarily funded by the EU is no excuse!

A message of the above to the leadership is what UKIP "people" should decide! :wink:

BASILDON BOY · 14-09-2005, 08:47 PM

For Gods sake just listen to yourselves!!!!

Use it as an oppurtunity to meet and greet people - meet potential voters - identify potential voters - meet and recruit potential members.

When I did the Maastricht Referendum petition I was a member of Campaign for an Independent Britain and recruited over 120 members in 20 weeks!

Many of whom have gone on to be members of UKIP.

I we had never organised a petition they would never have got active in anti-EU politics and never become activists in UKIP.

Go on set up a stall in a high street somewhere - it will keep your members active.

How do you think the LibDems manage to keep their members active and enthusiastic, recruit members and identify voters/supporters?

Its becasue each branch has an almost permanent doorstep petion campain in some part of the constituency or other!!!

Biscuitman · 14-09-2005, 09:22 PM

I'm with Basil - and as somebody who is advocating the use of referendums in a direct democracy I can hardly say no to this one.

If we can roll out DD on the back of it so much the better.[/quote]

PETER REEVE · 14-09-2005, 10:43 PM

Well said Basildon, this referenda is the perfect opportunity for us to be out in our local communities talking and putting the UKIP message to the public – with a purpose. I am really pleased that this campaign has been started three cheers to our leadership. This is proper grass roots politics and its down to every one of us to get out there and spread the word.

This is the perfect start to the May 2006 campaign.

B.A.Ware · 15-09-2005, 12:11 AM

BB We spent months campaigning before the general election we met potential voters we got new members we delivered 1000s of leaflets held meetings had stalls in the high street we have bled the well dry with the European issue.

I cannot count how many times people agreed with me about Europe but said they would vote for the Tories, Labour or Liberal.
I spent 40 minutes talking to a prison officer in the high street, He came up to me and said he thought we were doing a great job he was totally against the EU.

I asked him who he would vote for he said he had always voted Labour but would never vote them again, he couldn’t vote Tory so he would vote Liberal.

I told him this was a safe Tory seat which he agreed, So he could vote Ukip as the result was a forgone conclusion and we were trying to establish ourselves in the area and the more votes we got the better Ukip would do in future elections But he was still adamant his only option was the Liberal party.
Need I say more?

13-09-2005, 05:00 PM	#1 (permalink)
steve allison Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 125	Let The People Decide Campaign The Let The People Decide Campaign is all about creating momentum for our message at a time when we know that the British public are well aware of shortcomings of the tyrannical bureaucracy in Brussels. Every day we hear of another area INTO phpbb_which the EU is sticking its nose and causing harm to our interests. We must use this time to get our views out to the public and at the same time force the political establishment to defend its untenable position. We are the only major political party who can and does speak up for the man in the street. Please use the next few months to spread the message by using the petition to get out onto the streets, writing to the papers, MPs, MEPs etc.. Make sure your friends know about the campaign. The campaign’s website can be found at: www.letthepeopledecide.co.uk We must get the EU back on the agenda especially while Britain holds the Presidency of the EU. By Petrina Holdsworth – UKIP Chairman

14-09-2005, 09:22 PM	#8 (permalink)
Biscuitman Uber Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 3,486	I'm with Basil - and as somebody who is advocating the use of referendums in a direct democracy I can hardly say no to this one. If we can roll out DD on the back of it so much the better.[/quote] __________________ IF THE EU WAS THE ANSWER, IT MUST HAVE BEEN A STUPID QUESTION!

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

13-09-2005, 06:55 PM	#2 (permalink)
BASILDON BOY Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: N'Djamena, Chad Posts: 1,852	May I make the following suggestion. During 1992 when the Maastricht Treaty was a big issue a group of us had a Maastricht Treaty Referendum Petition. We used to set up a table in the high street - covered with a union Jack and Euro Flag. We had posters displayed and 3 or 4 petition form on boards with bill dog clips and pens cellotaped to string attached to the boards. We had eleastic bands around the boards to keep the petition form from blowing away. We also had thousands of leaflets to give away to people. The table was manned by 3 or 4 people who would talk to the people about the Maastricht Treaty and a further 3 or 4 people would be dotted around handing out leaflets to people. We had someone with a loudhailer calling out anti-Maastricht slogans and anti EEC/EC messgaes. On a good day over 1000 anti-EC/Maastricht people would come to the table and sign the petition. We would make lots of useful contacts. UKIP branches could do the same thing - they could hand out membership leaflets - it will raise the profile of you local UKIP branch - press release the fact you will be holding a petition event - after the event send a press release together with photos to the local press. If you let your local radio stations know they might ask you for an interview (they are always desperate for news stories!) The aim is to raise the profile of UKIP - it is also a chance to meet like minded people/potential members/potential voters

14-09-2005, 08:49 AM	#3 (permalink)
Lawrie Boxall Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sandhurst Posts: 1,015	The party members want success in the next general election. (It has not been clear - at least to me - if that wish was ever held by the leaders, despite their assurances that it was. I suppose it depends on how you define success). Assuming I am wrong, it follows that everything the party does in the next few years must be aimed at that goal - that is really why i think this petition is an unecessary diversion. UKIP has already shown it has a hard line core support for its anti-EU message of around 10% at best. There is also evidence from the street campaigning that the wider electorate, more concerned with their jobs and mortgages, do not like the EU very much and that it is sypathetic to many of UKIP's arguments - but cannot yet vote for UKIP. It is not that they are not ready to vote for UKIP because I think they are ready, have been for some time and indeed would like to see a sysmic shift in British politics. The reason they cannot vote for UKIP is because UKIP is not ready for them because it does not address their primary concerns, jobs, mortgages, education, health, pensions etc. While UKIP refuses to address these issues the situation will not change. Producing a manifesto a few weeks before a general elction does not count as "addressing these issues". These issues have to become the core of UKIP's campaigning and the single issue has for the time being to be relegated to the back burner. When finally the UKIP leadership realises where it must go it needs to focus on gaining the voters trust in these vital areas. If voters can begin to trust UKIP, primarily on these economic matters, (as they did finally trust New Labour in 1997 despite the many predictions that there would never be another Labour government), then they will begin to take on board the ideas about independence and democracy and the single issue on which UKIP was founded. Just repeating the words "free trade agreement" will not be enough though - in fact it is counter-productive at this time. There needs to be a set of guiding principles which will help people understand the importance of these ideas.

14-09-2005, 07:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
B.A.Ware Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Birmingham Posts: 4,640 Party: UKIP	I agree with Lawrie, we might get some media attention and it might do us some good in a European election but come a general election it will do us no good at all. When the bloke on the street has just been made redundant, he can’t get his children in to the local school and his mother has had to sell her house to pay for a place in a nursing home what box will he tick when he walks INTO phpbb_the voting booth. Will he vote Ukip, he has heard all about their anti EU stance and he probably agrees with it but what are they going to do about his immediate problems “nothing” because our core policy is the EU and not addressing the immediate problems of the nation. Now he has another choice “Labour” they promise to: Reduce employment, Create new jobs through retraining Build new schools and academy’s Build more hospitals, give patients a choice of hospitals Reduce illegal immigration And best of all they will bring back some of the powers from Brussels. Now I now most of the above is ******** but if you wasn’t politically minded and most people are not, who would you vote for “bloody hell even I would vote labour”. Is it just a coincidence that most of the poorest and oppressed people believe in some form of religion. People need hope and the Labour party give it to them. When you go and ask people to vote Ukip and they ask one of the following questions what will your answer be. What will you do about:-------------------- Our Answer UNEMPLOYMENT------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION COUNCIL HOUSING--------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION HOSPITALS------------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION EDUCATION-----------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION CRIME------------------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION SOCIAL SECURITY----------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION DISABILITY BENEFIT--------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION DRUGS------------------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION TRANSPORT-------------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION PENSIONS---------------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION ENVIRONMENT-----------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION DEFENCE-----------------------WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION I could go on but I think you get my point. Personally I think this petition is partially to appease the membership, there can be no accusations of the leadership doing nothing, but it is next to nothing. You can have petitions from now until doomsday and it will not get us out of the EU and that is a fact. Does anyone really think that Tony Blair will have a referendum because of this petition, not a hope in hell, Tony Blair will have a referendum when he knows he can win one. I know what the petition will do it will give Nigel something to rant on about at the conference. What I would like to see at conference is Nigel saying he is fully committed to a fully fledged party and we will fight elections not on a single issue but on domestic policies, nothing less will do.

14-09-2005, 08:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
C_steam Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Paddling up 5hit creek..... Posts: 7,803	Ouch! Duck! Aviating oinkers on the horizon.....................

14-09-2005, 08:19 PM	#6 (permalink)
Percentage Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: N.Ireland Posts: 1,729	The petition is nothing other than a complete waste of time & energy,the fact it is primarily funded by the EU is no excuse! A message of the above to the leadership is what UKIP "people" should decide! :wink:

14-09-2005, 08:47 PM	#7 (permalink)
BASILDON BOY Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: N'Djamena, Chad Posts: 1,852	For Gods sake just listen to yourselves!!!! Use it as an oppurtunity to meet and greet people - meet potential voters - identify potential voters - meet and recruit potential members. When I did the Maastricht Referendum petition I was a member of Campaign for an Independent Britain and recruited over 120 members in 20 weeks! Many of whom have gone on to be members of UKIP. I we had never organised a petition they would never have got active in anti-EU politics and never become activists in UKIP. Go on set up a stall in a high street somewhere - it will keep your members active. How do you think the LibDems manage to keep their members active and enthusiastic, recruit members and identify voters/supporters? Its becasue each branch has an almost permanent doorstep petion campain in some part of the constituency or other!!!

14-09-2005, 10:43 PM	#9 (permalink)
PETER REEVE Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 17	Well said Basildon, this referenda is the perfect opportunity for us to be out in our local communities talking and putting the UKIP message to the public – with a purpose. I am really pleased that this campaign has been started three cheers to our leadership. This is proper grass roots politics and its down to every one of us to get out there and spread the word. This is the perfect start to the May 2006 campaign.

15-09-2005, 12:11 AM	#10 (permalink)
B.A.Ware Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Birmingham Posts: 4,640 Party: UKIP	BB We spent months campaigning before the general election we met potential voters we got new members we delivered 1000s of leaflets held meetings had stalls in the high street we have bled the well dry with the European issue. I cannot count how many times people agreed with me about Europe but said they would vote for the Tories, Labour or Liberal. I spent 40 minutes talking to a prison officer in the high street, He came up to me and said he thought we were doing a great job he was totally against the EU. I asked him who he would vote for he said he had always voted Labour but would never vote them again, he couldn’t vote Tory so he would vote Liberal. I told him this was a safe Tory seat which he agreed, So he could vote Ukip as the result was a forgone conclusion and we were trying to establish ourselves in the area and the more votes we got the better Ukip would do in future elections But he was still adamant his only option was the Liberal party. Need I say more?