What changes would you make as leader? - new thread

[Britannist]

Originally Posted by kernow

Did I read it, or did I dream it, that MEPs we're not allowed to fund any political parties?

Surely an MEP can give of his own money to whom s/he likes? I'm not talking about out of expense claims or secretarial allowance - but out of his or her own take home pay.

I mean since (as an example) Nigel presumably pays his own annual membership fee to UKIP like all other members - surely he can also give more on top if he wishes too. As an MEP I would have thought he would be entitled to pay his UKIP membership fee and then say "Here's another £200 on top towards my membership for the next 12 months.

If MEP's don't want to make direct financial donations - surely they could help out with printing costs. I read in some other thread in the forum yesterday that Independence News is delayed because of problems in paying the printers and/or postage. I don't know how accurate this claim is.

But each MEP could perhaps pay for £10, 000 worth of printing of leaflets/Independence News etc. a year (in their respective euro-constituencies).

They should lead by example. Alan Bown (the Kent businessman) has been extraordinarily generous to UKIP and draws no salary or expenses from the party. What a decent man .

Paul Sykes gave about a £1 million (in poster/advertising contributions) and he wasn't even a UKIP member.

UKIP has many competitors in the political 'market place' - if UKIP party members have to dig deeper into their pockets then the 10 UKIP MEP's will have to be seen to be doing so too. And digging far deeper in their pockets than the rank-and-file party members and digging deeper first. BEFORE the begging bowl is sent 'round to the hardworking UKIP party members and not afterwards.

By the way - did anyone spot any UKIP MEP's helping out in the local elections held earlier this month? I've only heard (so far) that Gerard Batten MEP (London) made some effort to help some UKIP council candidates.

[Niall Warry]

John Page gets much praise from rgular forum contributors as he feels UKIP must stand for more than just a policy of 'get out of the EU'. Well I am from the side of the party which thinks that is not sensible. We have proved at General Elections that we only get 4% of the vote but at Euro Elections we get 16%. I think the public know where they want UKIP to concentrate their efforts. We all want to leave the EU as soon as possible so we should adopt tactics which wil speed up the day. That is in my opinion supporting all known MP's who like us want out, stand against all high profile pro EU MP's with small majorities, expose the EU for the corrupt body it is and continue to educate the public to our cause UKIP has a big role to get us out of the EU but we don't have the time to wait for the very unlikely event of UKIP even gaining an MP at Wstminster let alone the government.

[C_steam]

It's not as binary as you seem to put it, Niall.

Of course the number one issue is to get out of the EU - but in terms of the general public, they have not made the linkage between the EU and many of the things that currently ail this country.

Hence we have to have a 'position' (note - not a detailed policy) on the majority of the spectrum of politics, and then be consistent on this position with the reasons AND most importantly, what is necessary to put things right.

It is not enough to be an oppportunist party which, every time the EU puts it's foot in it, pop up and say 'told you so'.

We have to show every day how the EU affects peoples lives in every way. Join the dots for them, whilst doing all the things you mentioned:-

supporting all known MP's who like us want out, stand against all high profile pro EU MP's with small majorities, expose the EU for the corrupt body it is and continue to educate the public to our cause UKIP has a big role to get us out of the EU but we don't have the time to wait for the very unlikely event of UKIP even gaining an MP at Wstminster let alone the government

But we can't get that job done whilst we are appearing to be an amateur one trick pony. Why should anyone listen to us if we only go on about one thing?

[Millennium3]

I did put this up on another, less used, thread [concerning UKIP strategy]this morning and did not receive a single comment. I wouldn't mind some response - even if it is a raspberry! -

My aim would be to incorporate all of the favourable elements into our initial strategy. It seems to me that we need firstly to recognise what we are trying to do. Yes we do want to get out of Europe, however, since UKIP was first established Blair and his cronies have been running amuck with this nation and have, in my opinion, created problems even worse than our membership of the EU. This is why leaving the EU has fallen in popularity with the voters - it is not that they do not still wish to leave, its just that other things have become more important.

If it is accepted that our aim is to leave the EU but also to ensure the mess made by Blair & Co is cleared up, then I think these together can be achieved only through acquiring a power base at Westminster.

If we are honest, we know we are not going to win the next GE [thank God - I would not wish us to become the government with such little experience], but this can be used to our advantage - if we are honest. By limiting the seats we fight to less than 200 [although it might be 10 depending on whether we can get our act together] we can inform the voters that they need have no fear in voting for us for we will not be the Party of government.

We can tell them our aim is to get as many MP’s as possible - our purpose - a hung parliament. If we get enough seats we will negotiate with another party [probably the Tories] for as many items on our shopping list as possible to be adopted in return for our support. The first item on our shopping list will be a referendum on the EU.

By setting a limit of 200 we are then free to:

a] Target our ‘best chance’ seats [less than 20?] - this is where the MEP’s and anyone else of note will focus their attention. Also bring in members prepared to travel to ensure three leaflets in each door and someone calling.

b] the remaining 180 to be selected from geographically adjacent groups of constituencies so as to make full use of members who are prepare to leaflet - but not to travel very far.

c] the decision on which 180 seats to fight is taken in conjunction with the other anti EU Parties [except BNP] so that we are not fighting each other for the same votes. Also, if possible, protect the MP’s on the list held by Lynn [Somebody with an eye symbol].

In aiming at a hung parliament, we do not need a complete manifesto - just very clear and well thought out policies for our shopping list.

[John Page]

Originally Posted by Niall Warry

We have proved at General Elections that we only get 4% of the vote but at Euro Elections we get 16%. I think the public know where they want UKIP to concentrate their efforts.

Sorry, I just don't understand this.

In euro elections people knew they weren't voting on the issues which were most important to them (see the Mori poll data) so turnout was sharply down. Party loyalists and people to whom the EU was important turned out, and most of the latter were eurosceptics.

If we push sensible positions on the "important" issues, that can only help us at general elections - people already know we're against the EU. More general elections votes = more pressure on the larger parties to take UKIP seriously.

[David Holland]

Originally Posted by Niall Warry

John Page gets much praise from rgular forum contributors as he feels UKIP must stand for more than just a policy of 'get out of the EU'. Well I am from the side of the party which thinks that is not sensible. We have proved at General Elections that we only get 4% of the vote but at Euro Elections we get 16%.

It is because of PR Niall we got more votes in the London Elections as well because people think
we can seats. Of course if we only talked about the EU, why would any one vote us on to the London Assembly which if one Londoners hadn't left (partly because of people like you who want us to be a pressure group) would have helped get seats.

BTW I saw someone say after the elections in London :-
"I voted UKIP to get asylum sorted out, presumably you wish we never talked about immigration and that people like him would vote for someone else ?"