Lord Pearson and Nigel Farage are less than impressed with Gerard Batten.
You may recall that Gerard made a formal complaint after Nigel Farage appeared on The Daily Politics claiming that Batten, Sinclaire, Wood and Nattrass were not credible UKIP leadership candidates.
This is what Batten said to The Times:
"Nigel's remarks are an attempt to unduly influence the campaign and an insult to the other candidates and our members," he said.
"He has created an unnecessary problem for the new leader if that is someone other than Lord Pearson by saying that they they are not a serious, credible leader in advance."
See: LINK
And later in a press release he slamed Farage and Pearson's offer to disband UKIP:
I read with appalled incredulity the front page of the Times on Saturday 28th November in which it was revealed that as Nigel Farage's messenger, Lord Pearson offered to stand UKIP down at the next general election, if the Tories promised a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. I have read with almost equal incredulity the response put out by the UKIP Press Office today.
Nigel Farage and Lord Pearson had no authority to make this offer. It amounts to a betrayal of UKIP and its members, the vast majority of whom have expressed their opposition to any kind of electoral deals when given the opportunity to do so.
Lord Pearson won UKIP's leadership contest without mentioning the proposed deal. Throughout the six hustings meetings in November he heard the thunderous applause I received when I said that under my leadership 'there would be no deals with the Tories or anyone else'. Had he spoken up before the campaign there would have been a completely different result.
See: LINK
The knives are now out for Batten. Several members of UKIP's NEC have already raised the suggestion that if he is not prepared to 'step in line' he should face expulsion from the party.
Malcolm Wood is already briefing against Batten with this in mind.
Gerard has made matters worse for himself by writing directly to Pearson and demanding that no further electoral offers by made to the Tories. Lord Pearson was said to have been furious when he received it. You can imagine how Farage responded!
Batten's days in UKIP could well be coming to an end. Farage wants him out. Some of Gerard's supporters have already suggested that he resign from UKIP and thus deny Farage and Pearson the satisfaction of expelling him.
At least one party - The BNP - is said to be interested in Batten if he does leave UKIP.
Today we discussed this matter with GLW. His sources also confirmed the fact that Batten faces a very uncertain future in UKIP.
4 comments:
Hi,
the utter ineptitude of EUkip - one need only consider the calibre of the CEO.
There is absolutely no one of stature, gravitas or competence in the entire leadership claque - hence the scrapings for the NEC the failure to publish the voting data for a new NEC, the undeniable ineptitude, in fact lack of leadership - abuse, bullying, bribery, shouting do not constitute leadership.
Of course I don't mean Pearson but in what way do you claim he is leader?
What a shambles - The 3 grown up parties are fully launched in their election campaign and EUkip has not even announced an election co-ordinator and it is so beset with some of the most vile people and vile allies in the EU as to merely bring shame on the EUroSceptic movement.
Well I guess it never was about patriotism and leaving the EU - it has ALWAYS been about Nigel Farage his self enrichment and rewarding those who promote and protect him! No wonder EUkip has been such an abject failure.
Regards,
Greg L-W.
Pearson is UKIP leader in name only. Farage still calls ALL the shots.
Hi,
is that why Duffy is mooted as CEO do you rekon?
Perhaps they don't even have a barrel to scrape any more and to go with the hapless and utterly incompetent Duffy (So has she recruited more members for EUkip Yoooof than she has bred! - does anyone ever get replies from her?)
I suppose that means EUkip will pay for a baby minder to free up Peter Reeve as election manager (well he has managed to at least decimate membership in the Eastern Region!).
That would leave the duplicitous and dishonest Malcolm Wood as the top toady to act as Chairman to ensure Farage's control over the NEC & Pearson who looks more pathetic as a leader day on day!
Let us hope Farage can come up with something ANYTHING which would be better!
He may even rescue Croucher from the sewers and give him a job controlling flatullence which seems the best emanating from EUkip these days.
We COULD find an election due on March 25 - I for one believe without even a manager in place EUkip will fall short for the election with some 500 Election Addresses to write, proof, print and distribute by the more probable 6th. May date!
I wonder if Croucher will be given the job of scrambling the spelling again as he did in the Independent comic with candidates' addresses!
6+ months since their election can ANYONE name a single achievement of a single EUkip MEP that has moved EUkip one inch closer to leaving the EU.
How many times has Batten turned up? in fact is Nattrass still on holiday?
Regards,
Greg L-W.
Regards,
Greg L-W.
Spot on!
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