UKIP and local elections

 

         UKIP put up candidates in 6 Unitary Council wards in the Wokingham part of my constituency, leaving 5 wards without a UKIP candidate. I did not comment on this before the election. As a democrat I like living in a country where anyone can put up and make their case.

        Now it is all over I would be interested to hear from UKIP locally how they assess their election. Their share of the vote varied from 5.7% to 8.8%. They came  fifth and last in three seats, fourth and last in two seats, and fourth and second to last in the sixth. In no case did they come anywhere near being the challenger to the winner, let alone the winner.

          If their intervention was a further attempt to remind us all how important the EU issue is to everyone, it once again failed and  gave the federalists further opportunity to say voters don’t care very much about the EU. If the purpose was to offer a better way of running the local Council I would be interested to hear what part of their message they think the Council should take on board, and why they think so few voted for it.

11 Comments

  1. Kitto
    May 7, 2011

    I’m afraid you’re mistaken John. UKIP are about much more than EU withdrawal. We are about empowering the people, greater accountability, and making taxpayers’ money work harder than it has done under Lib/Lab/Con councils. We took control of our first Town Council this week and it will be the first of many. I dare say that as this Coalition trundles along, more and more Conservative councillors will decide that they wish to become UKIP councillors as they, like so many of us, have been let down by David Cameron and his ilk. Perhaps you like being a rebel within your own party, but the fact is that if you want EU withdrawal, small government, and a free market, there is only one political party offering this within the UK – the United Kingdom Independence Party.

    Reply: So what are you recommending to Wokingham Borough to improve it? I genuinely wish to know.

    1. Kitto
      May 7, 2011

      I am not recommending anything specifically to Wokingham Borough as I am not a resident, however one only has to look at the brilliant work the Taxpayers’ Alliance have done to see that there are savings to be made which can be translated into lower taxes for the people, which in turn means they have more disposable income which they can spend, therefore stimulating the local economy.

      We also want local government spending to be more transparent, so that the people can see what their money is being spent on. We also want to empower the residents through direct democracy – something that certain UKIP-minded Tories know a lot about – which would mean that they could take a stand on issues they disagree with, for example an incinerator.

      At the same time as lowering taxes and improving accountability, we also want to protect the vital services that the council provides, rather than cutting the front line for political reasons as Labour have done.

      1. alan jutson
        May 9, 2011

        Kitto

        As a Wokingham resident I had the opportunity to vote for your UKIP candidate, but did not, even though I certainly am an out of Europe supporter.

        This was a local Council election which has absolutely no power or influence whatsoever in Parliament, thus voting for UKIP locally, I did not feel was of any use. Not even as a protest !
        Yes I am all for accountability, transparency, and efficient cost effective running, but you simpy cannot offer any specific details because all you have at most, is the councils accounts, which shows where money goes, but not how efficiently it is spent. You would not know that until you were in situ.

        Wokingam Council has I believe the lowest Government grant in the country, and so has had to manage its affairs prudently for many years, and whilst things could perhaps be better, it is not a badly run Council. (we have been through and dumped the local Lib Dem silly ideas).

        When you put up a candidate for the European elections, I will vote for your Party, as I have done before, because on principle I will never vote Labour “spend more get less” and will certainly not support the Conservatives until the leadership changes its ideas and adopts a “batting for Britain” campaign/policy.

        As you well know, John Redwood is our local MP. He gets my vote in general elections because he most represents my views on a whole range of subjects, in a Party which has some influence over UK and EU policy, and is probably close to your own thoughts on Europe being sceptical at the least.
        John may not be flavour of the month or year within the Conservative Party leadership, but at least he is vocal in his views and thoughts, and an excellent constituancy MP.

        UKIPS only real strength is Europe, so wait for the European elections and I am sure your support will grow,but remember, do no get carried away thinking you are going to take over in Parliament in a general election, we have our own Euro Sceprtic MP in place here, and he is doing his best with the influence he has to try to change things for the better.

  2. Paul Perrin
    May 7, 2011

    John,

    Is your considered philosophy “if at first you don’t succeed give up?” if so, you can keep it.

    I have learned a huge amount from running for parliament and locally, which will all go to improve campaigns in future.

    How is your progress on countering Camerons EUphilia? or have you given up on that too?

    Reply: Not at all – I am asking for UKIP to share their proposals with us, and tell us how they are getting on.

  3. Michael Heaver
    May 7, 2011

    I think you should take the radically obvious step of reading UKIP’s local manifesto.

    I know the Tory Party wishes UKIP were just a single-issue irrelevance, but the Party is about much more than that – for instance we were the only party saying NO to HS2 in Aylesbury, where we got 2 Councillors elected.

  4. Steve Fowler.
    May 8, 2011

    John,

    One of the problems with politicians like you is you have become arrogant in thinking that your beloved Conservative or party even Labour have been given the right to rule us forever or that your party didn’t have to build itself up in the first place to be elected in local or national government to begin with.

    I bet you would like UKIP to stay small, keep talking about the EU or not exist at all. We will still be here and will grow in time and i’d like to see you stop us if you can.

    Reply: I have made a helpful offer, to learn from UKIP’s local agenda, and all I get is abuse. No wonder UKIP has so little support and influence.

  5. BobE
    May 8, 2011

    Ive converted from Cons to UKIP. Three years now. I’m really hoping that we make progress this time. Now everybody knows that the Con leadership is pro EU only UKIP remain to save our country.

  6. Mike Stallard
    May 8, 2011

    I live in Wisbech which, to you lot is in Northern England – far far to the north even of Watford.
    From the outside, I think you are all being unfair.
    I really think this was a genuine inquiry to see what the UKIP felt and was planning to do.

    I would love to vote UKIP in English as opposed to European elections. But what is the point?

    Must go and feed the whippets and pigeons now.

  7. BobE
    May 8, 2011

    Mike, the point is to get UKIP elected, in time to save our country.
    I suspect John was fishing for ideas, either to talk down or to steal. Sorry thats how it works. Mike if you belive in our country your only vote now is UKIP.

    Reply: I was asking local Council candidates for UKIP to tell me what improvements they wanted locally to see if a) I agreed with any of them b) any of them could be done. Don’t be so suspicious an defensive. No wonder UKIP only gets a tiny percentage of votes.

  8. BobE
    May 8, 2011

    forever in moderation!!!!

  9. andy godley
    December 26, 2011

    I like the views that Nigel Farage and Godfrey bloom put forward, but I do have a problem with David hamilton becoming part of UKIP. I will vote for UKIP In the hope that they can change the way the UK is run.

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