Niall Warry

I post below a letter from Robin Page to Piers Merchant about the forthcoming UKIP MEP selection elections. I wonder what the Nigel sycophants will think of to excuse his leadership this time?

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Robin Page
Bird’s Farm Cottage,
26 Haslingfield Road,
Barton,
Cambs.
CB23 7AG

13.8.2008


Dear Piers Merchant,

I am writing to you in your capacity as Returning Officer for the internal UKIP elections for prospective MEPs. I assume that you are independent and in place to ensure that the elections are lawful, honest and transparent.

Sadly, in my view, the election in the Eastern Region has been seriously compromised and is unlawful, dishonest and lacking transparency. As a result I believe that you have no other option but to cancel the process and start again.

To put it simply I was intending to stand and it was widely known in the Eastern Region that I was going to put my name forward. At the last European Elections I was third on the list, apparently beaten by that stalwart of freedom, democracy and honesty, Tom Wise. I was, according to the results beaten by 4 votes. However, I am not totally convinced that I was beaten. Certainly some people were publicly spinning against me; some of the spin allegedly coming from the UKIP office in Chelmsford. Sadly this could not be proved as the computer concerned was mysteriously wiped.

However, numerous grass roots members urged me to stand this time expecting me to finish first or second on the list. After breaking ribs and going onto antibiotics (some would have considered these in themselves would have warranted an extension) I still could have delivered my various election forms on time. It would have been inconvenient but easily achieved. It was at this time that Peter Reeve the Eastern Area Organiser and David Challice from HQ intervened. I was told that payment of £250 and the sending in of the CRB forms would ensure that I was on the list and the nomination paper could be returned after a journalistic research trip on June 6th.

The money was paid by Visa on 13th of May and my solicitor informs me that this represents an agreed contract for me to take part in the elections for the Eastern Region. The money has not been returned. On my return from my project, imagine my surprise when I was told that I had been disqualified – for doing exactly what I was told to do by two paid employees of UKIP. As I have said, my solicitor says that my omission from the Eastern list is illegal and so I am now asking you formally, as returning Officer, to halt the election process. You are the one with the ultimate responsibility.

I am told that when the matter came before the NEC it was Nigel Farage who led those who wanted the illegal election to continue. I find it astonishing that Nigel seems to believe that both he and UKIP are above the law. It was also odd that the partner of Peter Reeve, a member of the NEC, was present for that item on the agenda, if NEC meetings actually have agendas. That amounts to one more reason why the NEC’s decision should not be allowed (what a way to run a Party and a meeting – and Nigel had the effrontery the other day to call Christopher Gill “unprofessional – pot calling kettle I think).
Interestingly, and this has come via a UKIP member, it is alleged that before all this happened a UKIP MEP said:” Robin Page has got to be stopped”. It now looks as if an illegal attempt has been made to do exactly that.

The worrying thing is of course that it is the reputation of UKIP that is being damaged. Since people have heard of my situation I have been contacted by people from many parts of the country – the grass roots are furious they seem to believe that the party is being taken over by a bunch of unscrupulous spivs – what can I say after my recent experiences. And all this before I have even sent out a press release.

Because of this deplorable and illegal situation I am asking you to halt the election process for the East immediately – it is illegal.
I am sending a copy of this letter to the NEC and also to Roger Knapman as I believe that he should know the facts.
In addition to this I need to know the address of the company which printed the ballot papers and also the make-up of the UKIP “Political Committee”. Could I also know who stood for membership of this committee and how they were elected.


Yours sincerely,

Robin Page

SponPlague

Not good. I campaigned and leafletted for Robin, years back, when he was joint UKIP/ Referendum Party candidate in Winchester. If true, I'm probably better-off-out, as they say...

Niall Warry

I agree Rob but sadly 'they' don't mind. I'll be next in November when my membership comes up for renewal.

C_steam

Can anyone think of any reason why Robin seems to be 'persona non grata' - I'd like to believe 'c0ck-up' in this case rather than conspiracy.

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Akebono

. . . he is a dodgy person / bully.

A complete khant !!

Niall Warry

Could you explain your comment.

douglas denny

Robin is NOT personna non grata in UKIP. Robin is a respected anti-EU campaigner. I happen to think he would have been an excellent choice for candidature in the MEP listings.

The plain fact is, that for whatever reasons, he did not get his nomination forms in on time. He was in fact given some special dispensation with time to get the forms in, but in spite of this failed to do so. I was told that at an NEC meeting; and subsequently in the letter published here by Niiaall WArry, Robin admits as such. It's just simply unfortunate. That's life.

Incidentally, how did Warry come by this letter? and why has he posted it here? - to cause some minor anti-UKIP disruption perhaps? as he always seems to want to do?

I look forward to his fulfilling his promise to me made some years ago that he would leave the party. His overt anti-UKIP behaviour at least then will be more honourable outside the party than within; as with Petrina.

DED.
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mrabody

The procedure to apply to become an MEP has been publicly available on the website for many months now. I chose to follow that procedure. If I had sought an extension for any reason I would seek it in writing. So perhaps Mr. Page should have done things by the book.

I do agree that having paid money he has formed a contract with the party. This all then becomes a question of what the contractual terms were in effect at the time. Mr. Page paid the £250. Were they original terms available on the website, and with the application kit (if I recall correctly) or were they the terms as they were verbally modified by David Challice and Peter Reeve - assuming that the latter two gentlemen had the authority to vary the contract in that manner and assuming that they could vary it verbally.

Of course there are several pertinent facts missing - when in fact did Mr. Page send in the rest of the application? What was the exact wording of the agreement he had with Mr. Challice and Mr. Reeve?

I'll reserve judgement until I know more. I would suggest that the Party should repay Mr. Page the £250 as a gesture of good faith.

Ironically, TN Warry seems to be taking the view that it would have been ok for the Party to break its candidate selection rules in the case of Mr. Page. I'm curious as to whether he feels the various other deficiencies in the process are also justified?

__________________
Drew Belobaba,
UKIP PPC for Lewes
Almost as unelectable as Raymond Finch!

SponPlague

One of your NEC colleagues, Doug, leaked to GLW - I received a mail about it, along with the stuff about Annabelle now working in Brussels for Nigel (can you confirm?), the day I resigned...

Geoffrey Collier

mrabody: As you say, it would be wiser to wait until all the facts are known. Surely, no good lawyer would advise Robin Page to accept, '£250 as a gesture of good faith'; that would be most foolish. I understand that R.P. intended to stand as a candidate under the terms of the election. It was Reeves and Challice who invited RP to accept a different route, over which they would preside. I understand that Reeves phoned R.P. of his own volition, and presumably Challice did likewise. Did they take advice on this matter from Christopher Gill? If they didn't they are the architects of this chaos.

If oberving the rules is all important, how was someone informed that he had been a successful candidate in a region for which he had never applied? Others were accepted, despite not having been members for the minimum time required.

Not for the first time, an election is falling apart. For the re-run, forget about Election Committees, Political Committees and leave it to the NEC. Compliment them if they do well, dismiss them if they do badly.