Today is the day.
Nikki Sinclaire will today be given the chance to appeal against the NEC's decision to ban her from using the Party name, standing as a UKIP PPC and attending party meetings.
That the NEC originally made these decisions WITHOUT giving her the chance to present her case tells you all you need to know about how much they care about following correct procedure.
Here are some background details:
Nikki Sinclaire becomes increasingly unhappy about being in the EFD group.
She tells Nigel Farage that she intends to leave the group. He throws his toys out of the pram and threatens to leak details about her spent bankruptcy to the press if she leaves.
This is reported in Junius in December: LINK
In December details about her spent bankruptcy are leaked to this blog by a Brussels associate of Farage. We decline to use the material as we are not prepared to do Farage's dirty work for him.
She meets Lord Pearson to discuss her decision to quit the EFD. He approves her decision and tells her that it will not affect her position in UKIP.
She sends a resignation letter to UKIP's NEC. This is then leaked by another UKIP MEP. This is done without her knowledge.
In her resignation letter, she says:
“I have found it increasingly difficult to justify sitting alongside one or two of the European parties within the Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group who have a variety of extremist views which includes anti-Semitism, violence and the espousal of a single European policy on immigration.”
See: LINK
She also makes a video statement: LINK
Farage appears on The Daily Politics and attacks Ms Sinclaire for leaving the EFD. He tries to link her to the BNP and, as he threatened to do in December, mentions her bankruptcy.
He says:
"I think that the National Executive Council of UKIP are going to take some fairly tough action. I'm afraid that she stood for us as a candidate without declaring the fact that she had been declared bankrupt in 2005 and the NEC of the party take a pretty dim view about that."
See: LINK
The NEC meets and bans her from using the Party name.
Paul Nuttall issues a statement:
'As a consequence of these actions, the National Executive Committee took the decision on 11 January 2010 that Ms. Sinclaire will not be permitted to stand as a UKIP candidate at future elections.'
In response to this Ms Sinclaire seeks legal advice:
“I have been to see my solicitors to find out what I can do."
“What is certain is that I will continue as an MEP, doing the job I was elected to do.”
See: LINK
She also appears on The Daily Politics to give her side of the story. See: LINK
A UKIP spokesman says:
“In effect, Ms Sinclaire is currently an independent MEP."
Her office is raided on the instructions of the NEC. Derek Bennett is foolish enough to agree to do this. He claims he is acting on the orders of Christopher Gill.
Various items are taken but are later returned after legal action is threatened. See: LINK
Ms Sinclaire is barred by Christopher Gill from attending a UKIP meeting in the West Midlands.
UKIP MEPS meet in Brussels to discuss throwing her out of UKIP. They fail to make a decision.
Several UKIP MEPs privately express support for Ms Sinclaire but are not prepared to tackle Farage or follow her out of the EFD. One MEP says he will leave the EFD after the General Election.
Lord Pearson expresses astonishment at the NEC's decision and complains that Farage is "undermining him".
The NEC reluctantly agree to give Ms Sinclaire leave to appeal to the NEC on February 1st.
So what will happen now? Will Pearson demand that the NEC reverse their decision or will he try to evade all responsibility?
What is certain is that Farage and the NEC are in a very awkward position. Legally they do not have a leg to stand on. Commonsense dictates that they must reinstate her.
However, both Farage and the NEC know that such a decision will irreparably damage what little creditability they have left. And they don't have a lot left!
Farage would be publicly humiliated. His position in UKIP would quickly become untenable as he was the driving force behind the NEC's decision.
But as Lord Pearson considers Nigel a 'political genius' we very much doubt that he will be prepared to damage Farage's reputation by backing Nikki and calling on the NEC to allow her back into the fold.
But if they don't do this they can expect possible legal action, damaging press coverage and even more resignations from the Party.
We shall see..........
Also see: LINK
As this will have serious consequences for Ukip and the G/E I'm sure you will keep us up to speed
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeletethe integrity and competence of EUkip NEC and leadership claque will be all too likely to make a massive problem out of a manageable problem - I gather David Lott is masquerading as a poster on Butcher's dishonest and squalid forum and pouring petrol on the fire.
Lott was a catastrophy in EUkip costly and politically stupid - outside still trying to justify the money he made out of EUkip and the outright lies he told he is as was his won't making a bad situation worse.
Sinclaire must be congratulated as she followed every single step in moderation and as is clear Farage's utter insecurity and lack of leadership skills and officer qualities has hugely damaged the Party - particularly with his decision to join the party with the pro EU racist, xenophobic, criminal anti Jewish EFD.
Farage having been ordered to stand down is not man enough to go and in one last desparete attempt at weenie waggling he has tried to sabotage Pearson & Wheeler and in doing so has made the party a laughing stock.
Let us hope Sinclaire as the ONLY honourable UKIP MEP can rebuild from the wreck Farage has cause with new MEPs and a new NEC.
Sadly I doubt it - look back on EUkip's history it has been based on ineptitude, stunts and clearly no vision, aim or political ability.
A tragedy as we who have supported UKIP for so very long have watched EUkip seize our lifeboat and sytematically destroy it for their own venal self importance and greed!
Regards,
Greg L-W.