Party over for UKIP in Plymouth

B.A.Ware · 08-01-2007, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Plymouth's branch of the UK Independence Party is close to collapse amid internal wranglings.
The chairman and committee of the local group, which has about 120 members, is preparing to stand down on Monday.

Chairman Tom Williams said they had had no applications to run the branch and it was "more than likely" to close.

Mr Williams said members of the party, which wants Britain out of the EU, said members were disillusioned by the party's "lack of direction".

Full story
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6240565.stm

Where is this change Nigel promised us, how many more branches have got to disappear before something positive happens.

Martin Harvey · 08-01-2007, 01:44 PM

Surely it makes sense for any branch committee, or members that feel neglected to co-operate with other branches and resolve problems together. If that eventually involved a large number of branches Nationwide, then the force of numbers would be bound to provide a structure and method to resolve the issue. One of the problems within UKIP, due to being a relatively new Party, is that we do not have the ideal National structure at present and rely too much on our MEPs. A proper National structure with co-ordination and leadership within should be our aim.
Martin Harvey.

Tom Wilde · 08-01-2007, 02:13 PM

The local committee can't just close down the whole branch of 120 members because they personally have become impatient with UKIP's progress, or because they have had disagreements among themselves. It is up to them to hold an election for a fresh committee and to stay in post until that election has taken place. If they failed to do that then I'd have a very low opinion of them indeed, and I therefore hope that this BBC report is mistaken.

mkpdavies · 08-01-2007, 02:14 PM

Hey the BBC are reporting on UKIP local internal issues.

That's a notch up on the interest factor as far as I'm concerned.

B.A.Ware · 08-01-2007, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Wilde

The local committee can't just close down the whole branch of 120 members because they personally have become impatient with UKIP's progress, or because they have had disagreements among themselves. It is up to them to hold an election for a fresh committee and to stay in post until that election has taken place. If they failed to do that then I'd have a very low opinion of them indeed, and I therefore hope that this BBC report is mistaken.

Quote:

Chairman Tom Williams said they had had no applications to run the branch and it was "more than likely" to close.

The way i read it Tom nobody wants the job

mkpdavies · 08-01-2007, 02:33 PM

That's if you take the article as a fair and balance bit of reporting, that hasn't just taken one disgruntled chairmans word as gospel.

cromerty · 08-01-2007, 04:02 PM

There 's more about this here:
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/disp...pNodeId=133174

Anthony Butcher · 08-01-2007, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Up to 160 members of the UK Independence Party in Plymouth were set to quit en masse tonight in protest at the way it is being run.UKIP, which enjoyed huge success in European elections in 2004, faces a rude awakening as once-faithful local members hit out at the actions of UKIP MEPs.

Some members have threatened to burn their party membership cards when UKIP's Plymouth branch assembles for its annual general meeting tonight.

Many have helped form a new group, called New Battle for Britain, which aims to root out what members see as 'greed' in the public sector.

Branch chairman Tom Williams said that he, his vice-chairman, treasurer and secretary would be resigning, and the remainder of the 10-strong committee could follow.

He said he expected to disband the branch at the end of the meeting, but some members may wish to form a smaller UKIP group at a later date.

Mr Williams said: "I know that there is, for some members, complete disillusionment with the way the party is going.

"We've started a new group which we think has much more chance of success. There's even talk of a symbolic burning of UKIP cards."

The Herald revealed last month how the New Battle for Britain group had moved into offices in Sussex Place, vowing to scrutinise projects funded by taxpayers' money.

Several UKIP members, including Mr Williams, are set to join the new group in studying moves made by public bodies including the city council and the Devonport Regeneration Community Partnership, as well as decisions taken inside the National Health Service.

Mr Williams said it was a 'sad day' for UKIP, but added he believed the party was heading in the wrong direction.

He said: "I've been chairman for the last two years and we've worked hard. At the last council election, in May, two of us got 20 per cent of the vote.

"But we know that time's running out for this country. Political correctness is going too far and we're hoping we will strike a chord with the man in the street because he's got to wake up."

Mr Williams said that MEPs were to blame for UKIP's failure to capitalise on a strong showing in European elections in 2004.

He said: "I think the MEP influence on the party is not very productive. At the last European Union elections, we had 12 MEPs. Two have gone by the wayside, but the ones that are left don't really seem to be interested in the UK."

UKIP's South West Devon branch, which includes members from Plympton and Plymstock, will be unaffected by the outcome of tonight's meeting.

eublues · 08-01-2007, 04:12 PM

It's fair enought to get disillusioned, but I can't see the justification for causing damage to those prepared to carry on.

mkpdavies · 08-01-2007, 04:13 PM

Where is that from?

08-01-2007, 01:44 PM	#2 (permalink)
Martin Harvey Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: West Essex Posts: 167	Party over for UKIP in Plymouth. Surely it makes sense for any branch committee, or members that feel neglected to co-operate with other branches and resolve problems together. If that eventually involved a large number of branches Nationwide, then the force of numbers would be bound to provide a structure and method to resolve the issue. One of the problems within UKIP, due to being a relatively new Party, is that we do not have the ideal National structure at present and rely too much on our MEPs. A proper National structure with co-ordination and leadership within should be our aim. Martin Harvey.

08-01-2007, 02:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 32,078 Party: Libertarian Party	Hey the BBC are reporting on UKIP local internal issues. That's a notch up on the interest factor as far as I'm concerned. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Lib Dems

08-01-2007, 02:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 32,078 Party: Libertarian Party	That's if you take the article as a fair and balance bit of reporting, that hasn't just taken one disgruntled chairmans word as gospel. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Lib Dems

08-01-2007, 04:13 PM	#10 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 32,078 Party: Libertarian Party	Where is that from? __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Lib Dems

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08-01-2007, 02:13 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tom Wilde Moderator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: London. Posts: 2,924	The local committee can't just close down the whole branch of 120 members because they personally have become impatient with UKIP's progress, or because they have had disagreements among themselves. It is up to them to hold an election for a fresh committee and to stay in post until that election has taken place. If they failed to do that then I'd have a very low opinion of them indeed, and I therefore hope that this BBC report is mistaken.

08-01-2007, 04:02 PM	#7 (permalink)
cromerty Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 31	There 's more about this here: http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/disp...pNodeId=133174

08-01-2007, 04:12 PM	#9 (permalink)
eublues Uber Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,194	It's fair enought to get disillusioned, but I can't see the justification for causing damage to those prepared to carry on.