eublues

I endorse the previous comment. Anyone who wants to support Mote should do it in a purely private capacity. It is lethal for UKIP.

Mikeuk

I still regard Ashley as a friend, despite what he has done, but in my opinion this sort of expression of emotion is likely to bring UKIP into disrepute. UKIP is in danger of living up to Cameron's' fruitcakes' gibe.

He was found guilty of a crime and must pay the price for it. It may be that corrupt Eurocrats, child molesters etc are allegedly let off with a pat on the head but that is not the point. Elsewhere I have read stupid suggestions that he was 'set up' because of his record at an anti-EU crusader, notwithstanding the fact that at the time he was first investigated hardly anybody had heard of him.

I was unhappy when Nigel Farage removed the whip from Ashley Mote, but his action can now be seen to be justified. This kind of nonsense should stop immediately.

SponPlague

As it's on a UKIP website, and therefore falls under my (new) remit as "Branch Websites co-ordinator", I, too, drew it to the attention of the relevant RO, only to find he had already seen the newsletter concerned...

Michael Heaver

He may be people's friends, but he isn't mine.

People representing UKIP should keep their relationship with him private. Publically endorsing him in the name of the Party makes us seem like complete amateurs.

The Conservatives sure as hell wouldn't do such a thing. They would distance themselves. Some in the Party may still be associated with the convict in one way or another, but you don't need to broadcast it. The public aren't going to give a **** about whether he was a good man or good for the cause. They see: UKIP endorses convict. Dodgy. Not voting for them. Especially considering how much mud we get thrown at us anyway.

That's my opinion though. I'm not God, Douglas. I'm just a young man unattatched from Mr. Mote who is viewing the situation from a neutral point of view. I have no reason to vilify or pass judgement on anybody unfairly, these are merely my thoughts as a spectator who is also trying to represent a party under the same umbrella as those publically endorsing a criminal.

Petrina

Whilst it is always a good to see people sticking by their friends through thick and thin it might have been better if that branch had simply marked the occasion of AM`s conviction and improsonment with no comment .

After all he deliberately misled UKIP by not declaring the fact that he had been charged
with these offences early in 2004 and then to our shame he also tried to use his EU diplomatic immunity from Prosecution to escape the British courts .

Do they really want him representing eurosceptic opinion thereafter ?

BASILDON BOY

DAMAGED GOODS.

Not a UKIP MEP - there is nothing to see - move on.

Let this scab heal without keep picking it and making it bleed.

Aardvark

Elected as a UKIP MEP; if he stands down the seat goes to the next available person on the UKIP list for the SE. I do not know David Lott (next one down), but I do know he is not in prison and could, in theory and probably in practice, represent those of us who voted UKIP.

__________________
When in Woking do as the Wokes do.

"I do not wish to form my opinions by thoughtlessly quoting others; I wish others to support their opinions by sensibly quoting me." Paul Wesson (Aardvark) 13th April 2008

xhenry

There is a wider message here in this case - in so much as though Ashley Mote was convicted of claiming unemployment & housing benefits unlawfully. his business had collapsed and he was not able to secure suitable replacement work - so he was "unemployed" .
In most countries in europe that would be fine - but in the uk one can only claim unemployment benefit for 6 months - after that you have to go onto means tested income support. Ashley broke the law because he had assets exceeding the 16k limit
The point is there are many hundred of thousands of people who wish to work but who are not included in the unemployment figures precisely because they exceed the asset threshold of 16k after 6 months. It is not like it used to be when the people who lost their jobs were the very poorest who had absolutely no assets to their name. Yet our "low unemployment" figures are used as an argument by the government to justify mass immigration and to assert that it has no ill effects upon the population. With wages at the low end being beaten down to the minimum due to immigrant competition, We need to have this fact in our toolbag when out arguing our case.

Aardvark

Ashley was also earning money from his business interests. He could easily have found other employment. There are plenty of people who, when their businesses go bust, work in factories. I know, I've done it and was amazed how many other former company directors and business owners were working on machines whilst they sorted their lives out.

__________________
When in Woking do as the Wokes do.

"I do not wish to form my opinions by thoughtlessly quoting others; I wish others to support their opinions by sensibly quoting me." Paul Wesson (Aardvark) 13th April 2008

g hall

He is no longer a member of UKIP and he is in prison
If he had any moral decency he would resign

__________________
"That government is best which governs least."
"This is a sharp Medicine, but it is a Physician for all diseases and miseries".
"To be "matter of fact" about the world is to blunder into fantasy --and dull fantasy at that, as the real world is strange and wonderful."