Thread: Farage's first year as leader

In a nutshell, the problem with NF is although he is good at getting the best out of himself and he will use all of the Party's resources to do so, he is incapable of getting the best from others - in fact I doubt if it ever enters his head to do so.

This might be fine for NF in so far as he shines whilst all who are prepared to stay fade into the background, but if the Party is to be a success it cannot be a one man show and no one with real talent will be prepared to stay under these conditions.

If NF is to remain leader and the party is to be a success, we need a strong Chairman who can keep NF in line and at the same time develop the Party and the talent within it. Otherwise it would be best for NF to realise his failings and resign, for the Party will just continue to decline if he continues to be leader without constraint.

Thats the thing ive been saying aswell M3 glad to you see you think it aswell.

Originally Posted by kernow

I've been a member of UKIP since 2003, in that time I've met and listened to a lot UKIP members of both high and low rank. Nigel in my opinion stands out amongst them all as a natural leader, if there is someone better then I've not met them!

Well that is a total dodge of my question.

Obviously I respect your opinion and I admire your loyalty, but I think that you are confusing 'natural leader' with 'natural performer'. The two things are not the same.

Anyway, our opinions of what he should be capable of are largely irrelevant. He has had year in office now, and the question is; are you happy with his performance during that time? The facts are there, and since you don't appear to want to dispute my summary, I presume that you agree that it is more or less accurate.

I think that most people here are aware that it is a total nightmare being the leader of a party. People's expectations are always far higher than what can be realistically achieved, which is why I don't hold too much store by measures such as local election results.

What is reasonable to expect is that every effort should have been made, and frankly it hasn't.

If you remember, I came in for quite a bit of stick when I wrote an article saying that a vote for Farage was a vote for more of the same for UKIP. I think that I can now say without any doubt that I have been proved to have been 100% accurate in that assessment. Of course I know that you won't believe that until UKIP sinks in the 2009 EU elections.

Originally Posted by kernow

To any other genuine UKIP members other than myself who post on this forum, if they want UKIP to be a success, then stop your caricature assassination of the leader and get behind him.

But who does that help really? From the poll results, the majority of people here aren't particularly impressed. If Farage can't get himself in gear with people grumbling this much, how will burying your head in the sand and saying "well done you" improve things? He has had his honeymoon period when people were expected to give support regardless of whether they agreed with his decisions. That's over now and his halo has slipped.

Members should be saying "step up your game, or step aside". This is what all other political leaders put up with. In fact I would say that, in comparison, UKIP's leaders have an easy time of it. If UKIP was worthy of media attention, the journalists would be shredding it at the moment.

UKIP is supposed to be saving this country. It won't get any better at that job until the leadership starts performing as a party leadership instead of a one man show. Do you believe that we are any closer to rescuing Britain than we were 12 months ago?

Originally Posted by kernow

During the leadership election I stupidly allowed myself to be persuaded to vote for "Ski", (a man I'd never heard of before the leadership election,) then when he threw his toys out of his pram on failing to win the leadership

As much as that is a total misdirection from the thread, I think that you need to forget the leadership election. It was a year ago. There is no way of knowing whether Ski would have been a better leader (although I don't think that would be too hard). Farage has had a full year to prove himself the better man and failed. He has instead proved himself to be decidedly average.

Originally Posted by Anthony Butcher

Well that is a total dodge of my question.

Farage has had a full year to prove himself the better man and failed. He has instead proved himself to be decidedly average.

Sorry Antony – you are wrong - Below average or failed to make a grade I think is more appropriate. I consider that the party has become an utter shambles, and yet there was so much that could have proactively been done.

We are not a party; there is no information flow, no seeking opinion, and no debate. I am almost at the confirmed conclusion that the membership are being taken for a ride - which is why so many are not rejoining or leaving and perhaps latching themselves onto the BNP – at least, for all the beating they get on this forum, they can produce a meaningful and inspiring newspaper !

With the exception of G Batten, the other MEPs appear to be a bunch of self serving, egotistic delinquents, who I suspect enjoy the EU provided MEP lifestyle, rather than doing what they should be doing – getting the UK out of the EU.

The constitution/treaty was our moment, our opportunity to go forward to inspire the public that the UK can be a success outside of the EU. Show them our vision of a Britain free from the EU, a successful Britain, to show them our policies, our strategy, and take them with us forward to an exciting new world. But no, the moment has been lost (On purpose?) we appear to be breast feeders of that disgusting party called the - conservative party.

Look at our new web site, nothing engages the first time viewer – pathetic, and to think of the plethora of talent on this forum that could have been consulted.
Maybe there are pressures on these MEPs that us mere mortals could never understand - so lets not ask eh?

A week in politics is a long time, a year is an eternity, and the question remains – has the grade been made? Definitely no.

Originally Posted by gimlet

Look at our new web site, nothing engages the first time viewer – pathetic, and to think of the plethora of talent on this forum that could have been consulted.

I agree that the new official UKIP website is not overly impressive.

However, it did do well in a recent survey of the popularity (or lack of) of party political websites (a survey conducted by Channel Four Television I believe, some details of which were published in the Telegraph on 14.9.2007 and on the Channel Four website earlier this week).

Almost as many people visit the UKIP website as the number of those who visit the official websites of the Liberal Dims and the Labour Party.

The UKIP website is more popular than the Green Party website.

Imagine how many visits the official UKIP website might get if its design and content were of the standard that UKIP party members would like to see.

I thought I'd read somewhere that the 2 lords NF had persuaded to join are, in fact, getting cold feet & seeking to get back into the Tory party?

I'll see if I can find the report.

They are supposedly speaking at the conference.

Originally Posted by Anthony Butcher

Well that is a total dodge of my question.

Not on purpose it wasn't

Originally Posted by Anthony Butcher

Anyway, our opinions of what he should be capable of are largely irrelevant. He has had year in office now, and the question is; are you happy with his performance during that time?

Yes!
.

Originally Posted by Anthony Butcher

From the poll results, the majority of people here aren't particularly impressed.

What poll results? I didn't know a poll had been taken Country wide from UKIP members! All I've seen is a poll on a forum which has a large anti UKIP anti Nigel Farage following!

Originally Posted by Anthony Butcher

Members should be saying "step up your game, or step aside

For whom?

With just 1 in 6 believing that NF leadership is excellent or pretty good and 5 out of 6 seeing his leadership as indifferent, disappointing or terrible it does demand further investigation.

Kernow may be correct those voting may just be a few disenchanted members or those hostile to UKIP and the poll does not reflect the view of the bulk of the membership. However, if it does, then clearly it is time for NF to go.

Checking the constitution, apparently 9 NEC members are required to challenge his leadership. Of the current NEC, how many are capable of viewing the issue objectively and would be prepared to vote against NF if they believed it was in the interest of the Party?