Lewkip

Richard came and went through the party like a dose of salts. I think his rambling resignation letter confirmed what an appalling leader he would have made. He certainly could have been a good UKIPper in years to come but, like Kilroy, wanted it all too soon and on his terms. No one seems too bothered about creating influence by contribution: Too many chefs, not enough bottle washers. And far too many preening prima donnas cum armchair activists who smugly tut-tut at UKIP's party structure, demanding a level of probity totally absent in any political party in any country: Look hard enough for evidence of wrongdoing, and as you would find in any human institution, you'll find it soon enough.

Nigel has done extremely well in the short space of being Leader but this will never satisfy the oh-so right on `disengaged' who will always find reason to criticise him and the party if only to soothe their consciences, and perhaps to convince themselves that bailing out was a principled stand. Good grief.

mkpdavies

**** me, I thought that was one of the primary reasons for wanting a new party like UKIP to come along. An end to lying cheating secrative politics!

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Lewkip

Oh don't get sanctimonious on me! It's not endearing! The very essence of politics is effecting change through social pressure - be it through the ballot or the bullet. Always has, always will. I don't know what form of change you are seeking, perhaps a serene and controlled Utopia not unlike what we originally signed up to withdraw from.

I will never say UKIP has no faults but when I weigh up the good and bad things, I feel fully clear in my conscience that Nigel is a good thing for our direction and makes my job a lot easier. Conversely, Richard has quickly shown his true character - I don't want a whinger for leader, I want someone to suck in the taunts and steel himself up with it: What doesn't kill you, strengthens you. And then go out there and succeed. That's the best revenge!

mkpdavies

You moan at people for wanting a trustworthy, open and honest party.

That makes you as bad as the blind loyalists in the old parties to me.

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kernow

Sometimes to succeed you need blind loyalty, but that does not mean you should stay blind forever!

Lewkip

No, I moan at people who seem to be more noticeable for complaining than achieving. I have openly admitted that UKIP is far from perfect. How I relate to that is simple: Do I feel confident that I can make a contribution to make it a better party than how I found it? Yes.

Am I blind? No, I am practical. Am I a loyalist? Absolutely!

Before you start again spluttering, pause for a while and do some research on the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. There have been many unpleasant things written about many of their leaders but their agenda was spotless and proved successful. This was in the teeth of some of the most brutal and racist times ever. We face nothing close to that situation. Perhaps if the stakes were even worse for us then we would feel less inclined to navel gaze and face the real enemy...

Richard Allen

I can see both sides of the arguement here.

I voted for Ski and would do so again even knowing what I know now. I voted for him as he was the only candidate who seemed to understand how the party needed to be developed. He was the only candidate who seemed to understand that bringing out the talents of others was more important than the talents of the leader. He was the only candidate who seemed to understand the importance of organisation, administation and probity.

However I do find his resignation and that of many of his supporters to be very disappointing. UKIP remains the only serious choice for those of us who want free our country from the EU and thus there is no alternative but to try and make it work. While I understand why they felt the need to go their action damaged the cause and therefore I consider them wrong.

SponPlague

I'm dismayed that with all the great pictures we could have had on ukip.org, we get the after-dinner banquet! Who in the press or Joe Public is going to be interested in that? Is anyone dealing with plans for the website?

C_steam

Nigel said he would ensure the website gets sorted out. I'm sure that currently it is not his number one priority, so let's give him some time!

Britannist

James Whale said on his programme (on TalkSport) radio - a day or two after the London Evening Standard newspaper claimed he was to be UKIP London Mayoral candidate in 2008 - that he was impressed with Nigel Farage (the UKIP leader who he had had on as a guest the previous week) but that some people in UKIP were "strange". When the Conservative MP Alistair Burt (whom he was interviewing over the 'phone) asked Mr. Whale if was standing as Mayor, James Whale said "who can say" and that the Conservatives had been in touch.

One way that James Whale could show his commitment to UKIP - and the seriousness of his alleged interest in being UKIP's London Mayor candidate - would be to join UKIP as a full and active member.

I understand that this has not happened.

He could quite easily continue his programme as a UKIP activist - after all, the europhile leftist George Galloway MP has two programmes over the weekend on the same radio station (TalkSport) as Mr. Whale.