B.A.Ware

How very patronising, are you people so stupid as not to realise we were the very same as you when we first started on our journey with UKIP it has took us years of hard work endlessly campaigning walking hundreds of miles delivering leaflets standing in elections only to realise we had been duped by the leadership, we have been to conferences spoken to the great Nigel and heard all the promises and new strategies that have been announced only trouble is they never happen as over the years you will find and ironically you will be on here in a few years saying exactly what we are.

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We’re not just about Europe.

chikrodah

No they won't, Brendan. They'll be on the new, improved officially UKIP forum, too worried about their UKIP 'careers' to rock the boat.

They seem to forget that,when they've announced good news, decent UKIP results, new councillors or improved policies, this forum has congratulated them, celebrated achievements and reacted generally in a positive manner.

But we are all individuals and, until Farage's view of a non-dissenting membership becomes national law, we are entitled to express our own opinions. UKIP would be a better party if it listened to some of them, IMHO.

I wonder if anyone in UKIP realises that they are now treating us in the same way that the European Parliament treats eurosceptics. Perhaps they might care to ask themselves why.

Richard Allen

Harry, Michael, Steve and John.

I don't know any of you personally but I have heard much good about all of you and you have all presented yourself well on this forum. You are all loyal to the leadership and have faith in Nigel, while I think that faith is misplaced I fully respect you positions.

However I put it to you all that you have been swept along by a phoney feel good factor of the conference. Party conferences and rallies are great fun but they rarely reflect the political reality in the real world. As member of the Conservative party I remember coming away from a rally two weeks before the the 2001 general election convinced that we were heading for victory. Out in the real world reality soon set in.

The reality now is that UKIP is in decline, with some notable exceptions we made no progress in May, our local by election results are dire and our results in London were humiliating. Looking ahead to next year everything looks bleak and barring something exceptional happening I expect us to lose most of our MEP's. I don't want this to happen as it will be a devastating blow for the cause but at the moment I think it is likely.

The great mistake you are making is in assuming that everyone who disagrees with Nigel is a troublemaker. Yes there are those who offer nothing constructive (Warry), tedious bores who see wrongdoing everywhere (Collier) and bitter former members (too many to list) but many of the critics are just hard working members who like yourselves want to see the party grow. To tell people like Brendan Padmore that he should either get in line with leadership or get out of the party is insane. If you cannot bring yourselves to engage with the constructive critics of the leadership you will exist in a bubble and believe that everything is wonderful and that we are on course for a great success. That may comfort you for now but come next June don't be too surprised when you illusions are shattered.

Jeff

Actually,when it all comes crashing down and reality sets in,they will be back posting on here,blaming us for it all.

SponPlague

If my attempts at constructive criticism (admin, websites etc.), and other private concerns are addressed, I may well rejoin! But don't hold your breath - with Eric, the list has just grown again

Rook

That is a charitable view Richard. I suspect the decisions of Harry, Steve, Michael, and John are not motivated by excitement engendered by the Party convention so much as self-interest.

Perhaps Harry has been told that his chances of being moved up the SE MEP list are in doubt if he continues to associate with the "wreckers" and "saboteurs" on this forum.

Perhaps it is simply prudence on the part of John Tennant who has, I understand, recently secured himself a nice job in Brussels - I doubt he would want to wake up one morning to find himself back in Newcastle just because he logged onto this forum one time too many.

Will Michael Heaver's burgeoning media career progress quite so swiftly without the support of the party hierarchy?

Steve Fowler is probably concerned that he has posted here too often in the past - time to erase that black mark next to his name.

Geoffrey Collier

Richard Allen: While you are entitled to your opnions, I do not think that good judgement is one of your attributes. You sounded genuinely surprised that Eric Edmond was arbitrarily dismissed, failing to see that it is but the start of a massive purge. Those who have identified wrongs or injustices, will now be either dismissed like Dr Edmond, or suspended as a means of silencing them. Over many years I have tried to do two things;
make improvements at a local level and correct those things nationally which I believe have done us harm. What have you done, Richard, of a comparable nature? I believe that you value loyalty highly, because it is a convenient cloak which gives a respectable cover to cowardice. If you think that challenging wrongs is easy, you do it? But correcting wrongs is our only hope, if we are not to sink into the a situation in which the wrongdoers hold ultimate sway.

Jeff

So,who is the next in line on the NEC List to replace Dr Eric Edmond?

Perhaps my question would have been more relevant if I had asked,Who is the next in line on the NEC to be undemocratically removed by those remaining, (though extremely submissive and Farage friendly) NEC Members?

What were the NEC voting numbers on removing Dr Edmond, any feedback yet Greg (GLW)?

mrabody

All this NEC infighting reminds of that movie Groundhog Day, or is that Battlestar Galactica - "All this has happened before, and will happen again."

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

Richard Allen

With respect Geoffrey you have got me all wrong. I am not surprised that Edmond has been dismissed and having heard some of the deeply depressing things said at the conference I fear that this is the start of a wider purge. Unlike you however I am disinclined to make accusations when I have no evidence to support them.

I certainly agree that wrongs should be challenged and corrected but finding fault in almost everything is neither sensible nor constructive. As for loyalty v cowardice. My loyalty is to the cause, not the party and certainly not its leader. I didn't vote for Nigel but respect the fact that he was democratically elected. His platform was that he would double our number of MEP's in 2009. Now I may find that a limited and inadequate strategy but he was elected on that basis and I have always said he should be judged by next years results. If however Nigel does attempt to purge the party of those opposed to him and/or align us with Ganley then things will be very different.