RKS on Today Programme

Populist Lee · 13-02-2007, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Britannist

Quote:

Originally Posted by Populist Lee

And it is permissible to stand in another EU country.
As you say, David Steel did it.
[Wasn't it in Italy?]

I always thought Steel stood in France. Perhaps it was Italy.

Anyway, one of the two countries 'were saved' by the electorate from having to put up with him as one of their MEPs.

To set the Record straight . . .
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1010052

So it was Italy.

sean43 · 13-02-2007, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Britannist

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean43

Well I think the RKS saga left both parties out of favour. Kilroy and UKIP needed each other. As for RKS not standing again, no official statement has been made but having spoken to him a couple of weeks ago its not likely.

The Kilroy/UKIP split certainly did neither 'side' any favours.

But Kilroy was not being reasonable - you can't expect a party (UKIP) which had taken eleven years to build up to just hand over its leadership/control to someone who had only been a member for a few weeks/months.

Had he waited for the scheduled leadership contest in 2006 he may well have got the leadership without even a contest. There may have been no other candidates (or no other serious candidates anyway).

I completely agree you, Kilroy wanted it for the General Election - he didnt want to wait. Maybe if he had, we would be in an even greater position now. I still have no doubt he and others would have been elected as an MP.

sean43 · 13-02-2007, 11:46 PM

Anyway, its good to see Kilroy still making the headlines and getting people talking. I dont think im alone in saying I enjoy hearing him in debates.

Britannist · 15-02-2007, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Populist Lee

Quote:

Originally Posted by Populist Lee

And it is permissible to stand in another EU country.
As you say, David Steel did it.
[Wasn't it in Italy?]

I always thought Steel stood in France. Perhaps it was Italy.

To set the Record straight . . .
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A1010052

So it was Italy.

It obviously concerned you greatly whether it was Italy or France.

Can't say it bothered me as much.

Britannist · 15-02-2007, 12:18 AM

In response to Sean's posting of 11.45 pm yesterday (to this thread):

It is unlikely that someone will be elected as a UKIP MP unless there is a local UKIP organisation in most or all of the wards in the constituency.

What prevented Kilroy from pulling it off at Erewash was the fact that Labour and the Conservatives had volunteers and ward organisations across the constituency to get their votes out. Kilroy's Veritas party had no party structure in the seat and just a handful of party workers assisting Kilroy with canvassing (much of which was done in the shopping centres of the two main towns in the Derbyshire constituency - Long Eaton and Ilkeston).

Most voters were canvassed by Labour and the Conservatives - Kilroy simply did not have the number of party workers needed to match the cmapaigns of the two main parties. Even if he had remained in UKIP and fought Erewash as a UKIP candidate at the last General Election he still had the disadvantage of being the 'outsider' up against the sitting Labour MP who was well known and who had built up links with the Erewash constituency over a number of years.

I suspect that had there been no split with Kilroy and UKIP and he had fought Erewash as a UKIP candidate he may have polled up to 10, 000 (not the 2995 he actually got as Veritas candidate). But 10, 000 would not have ben enough to win the seat last time - although he could have come a fairly close second (or very good third place) on a three-way split.

eublues · 15-02-2007, 01:45 AM

Kilroy would have got in in the summer of 2004 if he'd stood in a by-election for UKIP. After that, the moment had passed.

Probably just as well in retrospect.

15-02-2007, 12:18 AM	#45 (permalink)
Britannist Uber Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: London Posts: 23,176	Kilroy would not have won Erewash as a UKIP candidate In response to Sean's posting of 11.45 pm yesterday (to this thread): It is unlikely that someone will be elected as a UKIP MP unless there is a local UKIP organisation in most or all of the wards in the constituency. What prevented Kilroy from pulling it off at Erewash was the fact that Labour and the Conservatives had volunteers and ward organisations across the constituency to get their votes out. Kilroy's Veritas party had no party structure in the seat and just a handful of party workers assisting Kilroy with canvassing (much of which was done in the shopping centres of the two main towns in the Derbyshire constituency - Long Eaton and Ilkeston). Most voters were canvassed by Labour and the Conservatives - Kilroy simply did not have the number of party workers needed to match the cmapaigns of the two main parties. Even if he had remained in UKIP and fought Erewash as a UKIP candidate at the last General Election he still had the disadvantage of being the 'outsider' up against the sitting Labour MP who was well known and who had built up links with the Erewash constituency over a number of years. I suspect that had there been no split with Kilroy and UKIP and he had fought Erewash as a UKIP candidate he may have polled up to 10, 000 (not the 2995 he actually got as Veritas candidate). But 10, 000 would not have ben enough to win the seat last time - although he could have come a fairly close second (or very good third place) on a three-way split.

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13-02-2007, 11:46 PM	#43 (permalink)
sean43 Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 161	Anyway, its good to see Kilroy still making the headlines and getting people talking. I dont think im alone in saying I enjoy hearing him in debates.

15-02-2007, 01:45 AM	#46 (permalink)
eublues Uber Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,194	Kilroy would have got in in the summer of 2004 if he'd stood in a by-election for UKIP. After that, the moment had passed. Probably just as well in retrospect.