Is UKIP fit for purpose?

BASILDON BOY · 30-06-2006, 12:55 PM

With the disasterous result at Bromley are UKIP fit for purpose?

mkpdavies · 30-06-2006, 01:02 PM

It wasn't disasterous. It could have been worse.

BUT

No UKIP isn't fit for purporse. It either get's serious and takes a different path, with new leadership, or it goes nowhere.

progcon.org · 30-06-2006, 01:04 PM

Solid foundations do not make a house, but they are essential to build a secure one.

For me, ukip is a straw house built on firm foundations. It needs to be completely stripped back to those foundations in order to rebuild.

So, yes, it is fit for purpose because it has the right foundations but it needs a rebuild. Give me a straw house built on firm foundations than a brick house built on sand.

Enough house analogies!

BASILDON BOY · 30-06-2006, 02:10 PM

I would like to see each branch have a Local Government Committee/Campaign Team.

Their sole aim is to campaign on just local issues, getter flytipping removed, potholes filled, graffiti removed, lamposts working, overgrown hedges cut back, campaign for more play facilities for youngsters etc etc.

Take a walk around any area and there will be dozens of problems that can be reported and fixed.

Get a UKIP member to take photos of the problem and have a before and after photo - ideal news item for local paper or article on newsletter.

Campaign on local issues like the LibDems do.

And from these firm community foundations of local activism then election success will follow!

It is pointless expecting to walk away with wheelbarrows of votes if you have not proved to the local community that you are worthy of their votes.

harryaldridge · 30-06-2006, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BASILDON BOY

I would like to see each branch have a Local Government Committee/Campaign Team.

How many members do you have in your branch?

We have about 130 people. But most are too old to be doing this work. We lost 2 members from death recently!

I agree we need people to keep the message alive outside of election time by standing on high streets, canvaassing, leafelting etc, but this takes resources and resources that the party/branches don't have.

B.A.Ware · 30-06-2006, 02:45 PM

First off all it was a disastrous result our top gun and £75,000 spent to achieve 8% is a complete failure in my book.

Campaigning on local issues might achieve something in fifty years but by then it will be too late.

Until Ukip looses its right winged anti-European image it will never do any good, i know a Ukip person who stands as independent because they know if they use the Ukip tag they will not get elected.

progcon.org · 30-06-2006, 03:06 PM

The Tories had exactly the same "too right wing" negative image problem just 14 months ago.

With the right approach, things can improve rapidly and we can learn from both what the Tories have done right, but importantly, also what they have done wrong.

BASILDON BOY · 30-06-2006, 03:21 PM

harryaldridge said -

Quote:

but this takes resources and resources that the party/branches don't have.

It doesn't take 'resources' to take a stroll around your neighbourhood - take photos - and then report the problems to your local council!

It might take a few afternoons to walk around a complete ward - and then a few dozen emails or letters!

Then next time you stand a candidate in a local election he/she has a file of achievements that can be publicised in their election address and in the local newspaper!

With 130 members ask them to tell you about local problems - make that part of your next newsletter - make your members feel as if they are achieving something - you then have 130 potential 'members of the public' who can endorse UKIPs hard work in resolving the local problems - when the 3 main parties only turn up at election time!

From firm foundations of local election campaigns will be built general election success!

This is what the LibDems do and when they put their mind to it can build up a base of support in a matter of a couple of years!

Roger Gough · 30-06-2006, 03:40 PM

There is a simple status quo and a simple solution. The status quo is the heirarchy of the party giving the appearance of a grouping who, since the successes of the Euro elections, have at best allowed the party to stand still and not advance at all, or have allowed the Party to regress. A massive loss in membership suggests the latter has happened. A minority of people in this Country have any interest in European matters and they voted for UKIP at the last Euro poll. 10 members of THAT Parliament was a great achievement which should have been built on IN THE UK. It hasn't. There is, as far as I can tell, a significant rump of the electorate who are gagging to vote for a party that is fair, thoughtful, trustworthy and CAPABLE and who have a clear interest in working for the man on the Clapham omnibus. Relative sobriety and an antipathy towards rent boys might also be of benefit. To date the leadership have regarded the party as a closed shop for anyone with ideas to take the Party forward and tend to regard any and every piece of advice, however well intentioned, as the basis of a coup to disturb their position. Head Office efficiency, insofar as I've experienced it, was at one time laughable even for a so-called pressure group, never mind an embryo political party. As treasurer of my local branch, I'm still waiting for the latest copy of Independence News (if it still exists). Is anyone at H.O. tasked to even look at this forum? One wonders. The leadership are unable to carry a worthwhile number of the membership forward with them. A simple and at the same time difficult solution is to form another Party. Nigel's throw of the dice was just about what one might have expected and there has obviously been some hard work done. It can't be viewed as a failure for someone to capture that many 'ayes' on what amounted to a personal crusade for local votes but it won't even come near that again until and unless things in UKIP change drastically. Bas. Boy has told it like it is, or needs to be. Otherwise stop dreaming.

Robin · 30-06-2006, 08:20 PM

I heard Farage on the BBC this morning saying Blair must go.

What the hell does that have to do with the fortunes of UKIP or getting out of the EU?Is the bloke some right wing nutter,because thats how he will be pecieved to be?

Something more inspiring needed to be said and the public hears that.So the UKIP seems like disaffected Tories,who on the left would vote for them.

I`ve said it before and I`ll say it again,UKIP need some media discipline,and it wont cost much to get.That,or it fades away.

30-06-2006, 12:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
BASILDON BOY Uber Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: N'Djamena, Chad Posts: 2,061	Is UKIP fit for purpose? With the disasterous result at Bromley are UKIP fit for purpose?

30-06-2006, 01:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 32,078 Party: Libertarian Party	It wasn't disasterous. It could have been worse. BUT No UKIP isn't fit for purporse. It either get's serious and takes a different path, with new leadership, or it goes nowhere. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Lib Dems

30-06-2006, 02:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
B.A.Ware Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Birmingham Posts: 4,773 Party: UKIP	First off all it was a disastrous result our top gun and £75,000 spent to achieve 8% is a complete failure in my book. Campaigning on local issues might achieve something in fifty years but by then it will be too late. Until Ukip looses its right winged anti-European image it will never do any good, i know a Ukip person who stands as independent because they know if they use the Ukip tag they will not get elected. __________________ We’re not just about Europe.

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30-06-2006, 01:04 PM	#3 (permalink)
progcon.org Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 934	Solid foundations do not make a house, but they are essential to build a secure one. For me, ukip is a straw house built on firm foundations. It needs to be completely stripped back to those foundations in order to rebuild. So, yes, it is fit for purpose because it has the right foundations but it needs a rebuild. Give me a straw house built on firm foundations than a brick house built on sand. Enough house analogies!

30-06-2006, 02:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
BASILDON BOY Uber Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: N'Djamena, Chad Posts: 2,061	I would like to see each branch have a Local Government Committee/Campaign Team. Their sole aim is to campaign on just local issues, getter flytipping removed, potholes filled, graffiti removed, lamposts working, overgrown hedges cut back, campaign for more play facilities for youngsters etc etc. Take a walk around any area and there will be dozens of problems that can be reported and fixed. Get a UKIP member to take photos of the problem and have a before and after photo - ideal news item for local paper or article on newsletter. Campaign on local issues like the LibDems do. And from these firm community foundations of local activism then election success will follow! It is pointless expecting to walk away with wheelbarrows of votes if you have not proved to the local community that you are worthy of their votes.

30-06-2006, 03:06 PM	#7 (permalink)
progcon.org Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 934	The Tories had exactly the same "too right wing" negative image problem just 14 months ago. With the right approach, things can improve rapidly and we can learn from both what the Tories have done right, but importantly, also what they have done wrong.

30-06-2006, 03:40 PM	#9 (permalink)
Roger Gough Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Hotel California Posts: 711	There is a simple status quo and a simple solution. The status quo is the heirarchy of the party giving the appearance of a grouping who, since the successes of the Euro elections, have at best allowed the party to stand still and not advance at all, or have allowed the Party to regress. A massive loss in membership suggests the latter has happened. A minority of people in this Country have any interest in European matters and they voted for UKIP at the last Euro poll. 10 members of THAT Parliament was a great achievement which should have been built on IN THE UK. It hasn't. There is, as far as I can tell, a significant rump of the electorate who are gagging to vote for a party that is fair, thoughtful, trustworthy and CAPABLE and who have a clear interest in working for the man on the Clapham omnibus. Relative sobriety and an antipathy towards rent boys might also be of benefit. To date the leadership have regarded the party as a closed shop for anyone with ideas to take the Party forward and tend to regard any and every piece of advice, however well intentioned, as the basis of a coup to disturb their position. Head Office efficiency, insofar as I've experienced it, was at one time laughable even for a so-called pressure group, never mind an embryo political party. As treasurer of my local branch, I'm still waiting for the latest copy of Independence News (if it still exists). Is anyone at H.O. tasked to even look at this forum? One wonders. The leadership are unable to carry a worthwhile number of the membership forward with them. A simple and at the same time difficult solution is to form another Party. Nigel's throw of the dice was just about what one might have expected and there has obviously been some hard work done. It can't be viewed as a failure for someone to capture that many 'ayes' on what amounted to a personal crusade for local votes but it won't even come near that again until and unless things in UKIP change drastically. Bas. Boy has told it like it is, or needs to be. Otherwise stop dreaming.

30-06-2006, 08:20 PM	#10 (permalink)
Robin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,112	I heard Farage on the BBC this morning saying Blair must go. What the hell does that have to do with the fortunes of UKIP or getting out of the EU?Is the bloke some right wing nutter,because thats how he will be pecieved to be? Something more inspiring needed to be said and the public hears that.So the UKIP seems like disaffected Tories,who on the left would vote for them. I`ve said it before and I`ll say it again,UKIP need some media discipline,and it wont cost much to get.That,or it fades away.