25-01-2006, 07:21 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Administrator
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Long Ashton, Bristol
Posts: 10,208
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Notes from the NEC – 9th January 2006
http://www.ukip.org/ukip_news/gen12.php?t=1&id=1860
Quote:
The new Party Constitution (once again!) was the longest item for discussion at the National Executive Committee meeting on January 9. The draft which emerged from the NEC’s last meeting in November had been re-worked by Michael Zuckerman and Piers Merchant, and NEC members felt they were “nearly there”. Some of the changes were minor, some were points of principle (such as the re-assertion of the principle of non-racism), and others were points of substance. The question of whether MEPs should be eligible for election as members of the NEC, or corralled INTO phpbb_two separate representatives of their number, which has been a major point of controversy, will now be put to the ballot of members as a separate issue. Members will also get to vote on the rest of the Constitution as a single bloc.
There were two schools of thought on the NEC as to whether the Party should fight the Dunfermline & West Fife by-election. UKIP Scotland wants to fight it, and the NEC wanted to encourage them. On the other hand resources, particularly financial, are thin at the moment, and one part of the NEC thought it would be tactically unwise, and we should concentrate on building up our resources for future contests.
Local elections were another key item, with Jonathan Arnott of UKIP Local presenting a report which also included a survey, compiled by Jim Carver, of prospects and plans for fighting local authority seats up and down the country on local elections day, May 4. Two outstanding UKIP branches, Hartlepool and Newcastle-under-Lyme, it was reported, were hoping to fight every seat in their respective authorities and had already started campaigning. In the rest of the country preparations were patchy, with some serious preparations being made in parts, while other branches were only just starting to take notice. A sub-committee of the NEC will be overseeing UKIP Local’s campaign, and reports will be made between now and May to every full meeting of the NEC.
The new chairman, David Campbell Bannerman, had prepared two papers which he called “thinkpieces” on the future direction of the Party, and an outline of some key policies. The meeting responded enthusiastically to his ideas, and the Political Committee has been re-created to take them further.
There was further discussion on the role of the Central Call Centre at Ashford, with John Moran from that centre presenting a comprehensive report on the Centre’s activities and achievements. Here again different opinions were expressed, and it was eventually agreed that the chairman and officers should prepare a definitive report and recommendations for a future meeting.
The next NEC meeting is in London on February 6.
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