Lewkip

UKIP has been on a roll since 1993. Don't think that the successes of 2004 happened overnight. It takes time and you incur setbacks. It was never going to be easy. I would like to think that the public no longer readily associate us with RKS especially since Nigel has had his recent run of publicity. Those MEPs that you are quick to dismiss are there for their contribution to the party. That might take different forms but nevertheless, it has been judged, whether informally or formally, to be of value enough to warrant being on the ticket. What contribution of value will you offer to the party?

Which brings me to this point. Is it beneath you to walk the streets and leaflet? Because if you expect some miracle to fall in your lap from the leadership and expect people to put a cross beside your name because you're UKIP then please leave because you're just wasting ours and your time.

brian lee

Lewkip wroteI am not wallowing in self pity and I do no need Lewkip to tell me about working for the Party.

It is possibly of interest that at the last EU election which everyone keeps crowing about, when the national average for votes was 16%, in the seven constituencies in South Essex which I managed we got an average of 21%, with one consitituency at 28%. And we did not spend a fortune doing it.

At the last local elections in Southend with two candidates we delivered 16,000 leaflets and got 18% of the vote in each ward. I don't spend all my time on this forum you know.

Nigel seems to think that the more money you throw at elections, the better the results. Looking back at the results of the 2005 General Election results shows this is far from the truth as does the pathetic result in Bromley.

It has been recognised for years that Nigel was the de facto leader. Lewkip omits from his list "People", who had valuable experience but couldn't work with him.

Lewkip

I stand by what I say. It is good that you have pulled in fine results in the past but that's only the start. Bromley shows you cannot just throw money at a by-election: The ground must be prepared first. I have yet to see any threads here that demonstrate what was there before the death of Eric Forth. You say Nigel was recognised as the de facto leader. So what? Where were the others? Totally in fear of him? Lazy? Eager to quit when they couldn't have their way? My omission of people from my list was not deliberate - I could have easily included it. But the other factors I listed are just as relevant, and perhaps moreso.

I am not prepared to see all the muck dragged up again about Nigel - that was done in spades on this forum during the leadership campaign and despite the virulent efforts of many here, Nigel comfortably won the vote. Get with the programme, and move forward. This bickering over Nigel is not only a waste of time and energy but now totally irrelevant.

Bluemerle

UKIP hardly rated in the electorates psyche before 2004. It was RKS who raised the profile in the EU election. All anybody wanted to know was if UKIP was the RKS Party. My gripe is that Nigel and others just left the Party to flounder after this, instead of taking the ball and running with it.

Leafleting is an expensive waste of time and money. Most leaflets go straight into the waste bin. Look at the money spent in Bromley. £85,000 I believe and where did it get us?

That was one election which UKIP should have won, particularly as the Tories had selected a candidate who was a Europhile, in the seat of a beloved Eurosceptic MP, Eric Forth. One has to ask why did they sit on their hands instead of voting for Nigel?

Lewkip

If there was no party prior to RKS then there would have been no RKS Factor. How ungrateful some people are of the early groundwork that was needed to get to 2004! Once again, the spectre of Super Nigel is raised. His supposed absence (or is it his apparent conniving? One is never sure if his evil is one of withdrawal or intervention or both!) is raised again. So here we go dredging up what went wrong as if UKIP is alone in this regard. Of course there were mistakes, I know that in spades. I also know that there comes a point when the past is so well-worn and no matter how often it is revisited, it won't change things now. Learn from it, by all means, but focus on the future.

Leafletting of the type you describe is wasteful: Sackloads of paper in a short three week period will not make up a convincing campaign. A year-round effort with regular, low-key contact is far more effective. Our local LibDems demonstrated that in Lewisham, and deservingly won handsomely. I'd rather see more posts looking at this than the bellyaching and navel gazing that passes for a lot of the discussion here.

tamashi

HEAR HEAR

No-one says UKIP is perfect, but its the best we've got. Lets stop the in fightinmg and start attacking the real enemy. UKIP has an opportunity at the momment but if we don't take it then the BNP or the Greens or the ERnglish Democrats will step in. People are desperate for alternatives, we should be talking UKIP up NOT dragging it down. Nigel won, get over it and get on with it!

SponPlague

Events need to happen in parallel. Yes, groundwork can and should continue, but the website needs to get its game together, and a new newsletter needs producing. We also need an official statemnt from UKIP on JW's status - I emailed the press office and have heard nowt. If I got a leaflet, and went to the website to find out more, found an empty research section (since Dr. North left, i.e. 2003), pictures of the after dinner conference rather than speeches and presentations, and the most recent newsletter available being Dec '05, or whetever, I wouldn't be impressed.

By all means promote the shop, but then make sure the window is eye-catching and up-to-date!

kernow

Gollumford

The nasty webwraith is attcking the precious again!

Boo Hoo!!! :cry:

kernow

You're expressing my thoughts and the thoughts of millions!