Sked's Resignation: the Truth

SponPlague · 07-04-2006, 12:38 PM

Putting the Record Straight - By Gerard Batten, MEP

07-04-2006

Among David Cameron's recent insults levelled at UKIP was the allegation that, "Dr Sked (UKIP's first leader) left the party because he thought it had been infiltrated by the far right". Mr Cameron speaks from a position of ignorance. As one of UKIP's founding members, the first Party Secretary from 1993 to 1997, one of Dr Sked's closest associates and a participant in these events, I would like to put the record straight.

The only significant case of UKIP infiltration by the far-right was the responsibility of Dr Sked himself. In 1996 Dr Sked introduced a Mr Mark Deavin to UKIP's National Executive Committee. Dr Sked told the NEC that Mr Deavin was one of his PhD students currently writing a thesis on Harold MacMillan and his role in Britain's first attempts to join the European Economic Community.

Dr Sked said that Mr Deavin was a brilliant student and that he could provide valuable services to UKIP as a researcher. Dr Sked requested that the NEC take on Mr Deavin as a political researcher for a fee. This was highly irregular as all NEC members and party activists at that time contributed their services on a totally voluntary basis. Although some members of the NEC had misgivings about Mr Deavin, out of regard for Dr Sked the NEC agreed, somewhat reluctantly, to these terms.

To my recollection Mr Deavin was allowed to attend two or three NEC meetings at the personal invitation of Dr Sked. During this time I was anxious that someone who was not an NEC member be allowed to attend NEC meetings. I asked Dr Sked why Mr Deavin would not sign an application form and join the party. Our membership application form contained the explicit message that UKIP was a "non-racist, non-sectarian" party, and this was to protect us from unwanted elements. Dr Sked said that Mr Deavin could not do so at this stage in his career as it would appear to 'compromise his academic impartiality'. Mr Deavin then gained his PhD and became Dr Mark Deavin.

Just before the general election in May 1997 Dr Sked was contacted by the Channel 4's programme, The Cook Report. They revealed that they had secretly filmed Dr Deavin with a representative of the BNP at a lunch in Wales with others claiming to be representatives of French politician Jean-Marie Le Pen. It transpired that Dr Deavin was associated with the BNP and claimed to Mr Le Pen's purported representatives that he had 'access to UKIP at the highest levels'.

Dr Sked immediately disassociated himself from Dr Deavin and claimed that he had no knowledge of his far right-political views or BNP associations, despite being his tutor and friend for a number of years. I accepted Dr Sked's word on this, as I still do; but it is a bit rich of Dr Sked after having been so effectively duped by a member of the far-right himself to criticise UKIP when our policy has always been to expel far-right infiltrators when we find them in our ranks. I was unable to expel Dr Deavin as he had never been a UKIP member.

Dr Deavin owed his infiltration of UKIP solely to Dr Sked's patronage. This is all a matter of historical record and can be verified by the NEC meeting minutes, and the Cook Report programme broadcast in May 1997. This incident was very damaging to UKIP at the time and contributed to the problems that led to Dr Sked's resignation from UKIP in the summer of 1997.

Dr Sked did not resign from UKIP because of infiltration by the far-right as stated by David Cameron. He resigned because of a combination of circumstances: a disappointing general election result, resulting discontent among the membership, and a threatened legal suite that could have financially ruined all NEC members (myself included). Dr Sked was forced to back-down on the legal case and resigned as a result. In short, there was an internal power struggle and Dr Sked lost it.

Roger Gough · 07-04-2006, 12:48 PM

Excellent - as far as it went. Didn't UKIP also kick out BNP's treasurer who had infiltrated a Northern branch not too long ago? A mention of that would have been more power to UKIP's elbow.

BASILDON BOY · 07-04-2006, 12:49 PM

Oh how the Tories must be laughing - silly inexperienced UKIP are falling straight INTO phpbb_the trap laid down by Camoron.

We now have UKIP wasting their time with nice long waffling articles on ex leaders and ex members and trying to defend themselves against charges of racism - when we should be gettting the UK out of the EU!

How the Tories are laughing - especially as nobody really cares and can you really think - apart from UKIP members - who would bore themselves reading this type of article?

Far better for Batten to tell Joe Public how UKIP will run their Councils better and UKIPs plan for local taxation and local democracy.....

No far better to slag off one of UKIPs founding fathers and slag off ex members and try and defend UKIP against charges of racism and far right infiltration!

The Tories must hope very much that UKIP will spend all their time and effort in sending out similar articles that nobody will be bothered reading!

The Tories tricck is working - UKIP are now operating as per the plan - trying to defend themselves against racism and showing that they are not racist etc etc...

...instead of attacking the Lib/Lab/Cons and winning council seats!

Colin McNamee · 07-04-2006, 01:44 PM

SponPlague thanks for background info. Facts are (usually) important unless one is Dave Cameron.

BASILDON BOY, getting correct UKIP historic information and getting UK out of EU are not mutually exclusive.

If the political geniuses who govern us were accurate with their published facts on the EU it is unlikely we would now be in the EU. On that basis if we were it would be with the consent of an informed electorate.

Colin McNamee · 09-04-2006, 12:55 PM

BBC1 Sunday AM prog. Interestingly if Andrew Marr had Dr Sked's history with UKIP then Mr Marr would have easily stuffed Oliver Letwyn who once again used Dr Sked's remarks on BBC Tonight earlier this week to justify Dave's racist comments.

Why have UKIP PR not issued a release to political journalists to get them up to speed ? Perhaps, as Mark Croucher reads these posts, something could still be done.

So far Cameron, Maude and now Letwyn using Dr Sked as an authoritive source. Use PR to blow it away. Cons will undoubtedly keep using this source until one of them gets properly publicly stuffed by a jounalist who has done their homework.

Tends to rule out the lite weight Politics Show.

Bluemerle · 09-04-2006, 01:05 PM

I suggest this is e-mailed to Oliver Letwin, Andrew Marr and the BBC. Also the DT for good measure. Let's get this INTO phpbb_the Press, truth will out.

michael mcgough · 09-04-2006, 08:12 PM

What was the full extent of the relationship between Sked and Deavin?

kernow · 10-04-2006, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluemerle

Let's get this INTO phpbb_the Press, truth will out.

I agree with you! But as usual I expect nobody of any consequence in the party will say a "dickey bird"! Except it'll appear on .ORG, which is only glanced at by the converted never by "Joe Public"

Resigned Member · 10-04-2006, 07:58 AM

Regrettably Gerard Batten who is one of the few honourable men among the MEPs has chosen to omit from his selective version of the Sked story Nigell Farages meeting with 2 BNP leaders in secret and the contradictory explanations he then gave. It is all in the Private Eye of the time.

Lawrie Boxall · 10-04-2006, 08:14 AM

One sure way of shooting the Tories fox would have been to ditch the tank and take someone like Delroy Young to the Manchester protest - since after all it was the racist slur UKIP was supposed to be protesting about. A few pictures and maybe a few words from an articulate black UKIP member would have ended all this speculation immediately, made UKIP look more like the anti-establishment party it should be and made the Tories look very foolish.

Since it was the most obvious thing to do - why didn't they do it?????

07-04-2006, 12:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
SponPlague Uber Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Zurich Posts: 3,176	Sked's Resignation: the Truth Putting the Record Straight - By Gerard Batten, MEP 07-04-2006 Among David Cameron's recent insults levelled at UKIP was the allegation that, "Dr Sked (UKIP's first leader) left the party because he thought it had been infiltrated by the far right". Mr Cameron speaks from a position of ignorance. As one of UKIP's founding members, the first Party Secretary from 1993 to 1997, one of Dr Sked's closest associates and a participant in these events, I would like to put the record straight. The only significant case of UKIP infiltration by the far-right was the responsibility of Dr Sked himself. In 1996 Dr Sked introduced a Mr Mark Deavin to UKIP's National Executive Committee. Dr Sked told the NEC that Mr Deavin was one of his PhD students currently writing a thesis on Harold MacMillan and his role in Britain's first attempts to join the European Economic Community. Dr Sked said that Mr Deavin was a brilliant student and that he could provide valuable services to UKIP as a researcher. Dr Sked requested that the NEC take on Mr Deavin as a political researcher for a fee. This was highly irregular as all NEC members and party activists at that time contributed their services on a totally voluntary basis. Although some members of the NEC had misgivings about Mr Deavin, out of regard for Dr Sked the NEC agreed, somewhat reluctantly, to these terms. To my recollection Mr Deavin was allowed to attend two or three NEC meetings at the personal invitation of Dr Sked. During this time I was anxious that someone who was not an NEC member be allowed to attend NEC meetings. I asked Dr Sked why Mr Deavin would not sign an application form and join the party. Our membership application form contained the explicit message that UKIP was a "non-racist, non-sectarian" party, and this was to protect us from unwanted elements. Dr Sked said that Mr Deavin could not do so at this stage in his career as it would appear to 'compromise his academic impartiality'. Mr Deavin then gained his PhD and became Dr Mark Deavin. Just before the general election in May 1997 Dr Sked was contacted by the Channel 4's programme, The Cook Report. They revealed that they had secretly filmed Dr Deavin with a representative of the BNP at a lunch in Wales with others claiming to be representatives of French politician Jean-Marie Le Pen. It transpired that Dr Deavin was associated with the BNP and claimed to Mr Le Pen's purported representatives that he had 'access to UKIP at the highest levels'. Dr Sked immediately disassociated himself from Dr Deavin and claimed that he had no knowledge of his far right-political views or BNP associations, despite being his tutor and friend for a number of years. I accepted Dr Sked's word on this, as I still do; but it is a bit rich of Dr Sked after having been so effectively duped by a member of the far-right himself to criticise UKIP when our policy has always been to expel far-right infiltrators when we find them in our ranks. I was unable to expel Dr Deavin as he had never been a UKIP member. Dr Deavin owed his infiltration of UKIP solely to Dr Sked's patronage. This is all a matter of historical record and can be verified by the NEC meeting minutes, and the Cook Report programme broadcast in May 1997. This incident was very damaging to UKIP at the time and contributed to the problems that led to Dr Sked's resignation from UKIP in the summer of 1997. Dr Sked did not resign from UKIP because of infiltration by the far-right as stated by David Cameron. He resigned because of a combination of circumstances: a disappointing general election result, resulting discontent among the membership, and a threatened legal suite that could have financially ruined all NEC members (myself included). Dr Sked was forced to back-down on the legal case and resigned as a result. In short, there was an internal power struggle and Dr Sked lost it.

10-04-2006, 07:58 AM	#9 (permalink)
Resigned Member Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 156	Skeds resignation Regrettably Gerard Batten who is one of the few honourable men among the MEPs has chosen to omit from his selective version of the Sked story Nigell Farages meeting with 2 BNP leaders in secret and the contradictory explanations he then gave. It is all in the Private Eye of the time.

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07-04-2006, 12:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
Roger Gough Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Hotel California Posts: 708	Excellent - as far as it went. Didn't UKIP also kick out BNP's treasurer who had infiltrated a Northern branch not too long ago? A mention of that would have been more power to UKIP's elbow.

07-04-2006, 12:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
BASILDON BOY Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: N'Djamena, Chad Posts: 1,852	Oh how the Tories must be laughing - silly inexperienced UKIP are falling straight INTO phpbb_the trap laid down by Camoron. We now have UKIP wasting their time with nice long waffling articles on ex leaders and ex members and trying to defend themselves against charges of racism - when we should be gettting the UK out of the EU! How the Tories are laughing - especially as nobody really cares and can you really think - apart from UKIP members - who would bore themselves reading this type of article? Far better for Batten to tell Joe Public how UKIP will run their Councils better and UKIPs plan for local taxation and local democracy..... No far better to slag off one of UKIPs founding fathers and slag off ex members and try and defend UKIP against charges of racism and far right infiltration! The Tories must hope very much that UKIP will spend all their time and effort in sending out similar articles that nobody will be bothered reading! The Tories tricck is working - UKIP are now operating as per the plan - trying to defend themselves against racism and showing that they are not racist etc etc... ...instead of attacking the Lib/Lab/Cons and winning council seats!

07-04-2006, 01:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
Colin McNamee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Somerset Posts: 894	SponPlague thanks for background info. Facts are (usually) important unless one is Dave Cameron. BASILDON BOY, getting correct UKIP historic information and getting UK out of EU are not mutually exclusive. If the political geniuses who govern us were accurate with their published facts on the EU it is unlikely we would now be in the EU. On that basis if we were it would be with the consent of an informed electorate.

09-04-2006, 12:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
Colin McNamee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Somerset Posts: 894	BBC1 Sunday AM prog. Interestingly if Andrew Marr had Dr Sked's history with UKIP then Mr Marr would have easily stuffed Oliver Letwyn who once again used Dr Sked's remarks on BBC Tonight earlier this week to justify Dave's racist comments. Why have UKIP PR not issued a release to political journalists to get them up to speed ? Perhaps, as Mark Croucher reads these posts, something could still be done. So far Cameron, Maude and now Letwyn using Dr Sked as an authoritive source. Use PR to blow it away. Cons will undoubtedly keep using this source until one of them gets properly publicly stuffed by a jounalist who has done their homework. Tends to rule out the lite weight Politics Show.

09-04-2006, 01:05 PM	#6 (permalink)
Bluemerle Uber Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dorset. Posts: 3,252	I suggest this is e-mailed to Oliver Letwin, Andrew Marr and the BBC. Also the DT for good measure. Let's get this INTO phpbb_the Press, truth will out.

09-04-2006, 08:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
michael mcgough Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Essex Posts: 1,014	What was the full extent of the relationship between Sked and Deavin?

10-04-2006, 08:14 AM	#10 (permalink)
Lawrie Boxall Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sandhurst Posts: 1,015	One sure way of shooting the Tories fox would have been to ditch the tank and take someone like Delroy Young to the Manchester protest - since after all it was the racist slur UKIP was supposed to be protesting about. A few pictures and maybe a few words from an articulate black UKIP member would have ended all this speculation immediately, made UKIP look more like the anti-establishment party it should be and made the Tories look very foolish. Since it was the most obvious thing to do - why didn't they do it?????