ATTENTION!
The site will got into lockdown from 12 noon Sunday Feb 25th to 12 noon Monday Feb 26th, to deal with the various issues which have cropped up.
As the dust settles on the Bolton saga, as it might be known to future generations, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the winners and losers that have inevitably emerged. Just a personal point of view; others are available!
I’m going to start with the losers first, as I always like to finish on a positive.
Losers
Henry Bolton – They say, if you put your head over the parapet, you should be prepared to be shot at. Henry, alas, found a lass, which, while a little unedifying, wasn’t such a problem. Sadly for him, once his beau’s genuinely unedifying Facebook comments were found and laid bare, a MSM sh*tstorm was soon unsurprisingly quickly whipped up.
Most people can juggle two skittles, but three takes practice. 
Henry quickly found himself negotiating his on/off/on relationship with Jo, losing a vote of confidence from the NEC and, perhaps the killer blow, the discovery that some aspects of his past that were – how can I put this – a little embellished.
It was all too much, of course. However, I’m not sure if we’ve seen the last of Henry. He’s a wounded animal alright, and they can be very dangerous. Hopefully, though, he’ll reflect, dust himself down and learn from the experience.
Nigel Farage – I will start by saying that Nigel should be knighted for his services to his country. Without him, we would not have had a referendum never mind bloody well winning it. Nigel’s historical role can never be airbrushed away.
When Nigel resigned as leader, he said he wanted his life back, and who could begrudge him that. However, he has been pulling a few strings since and I think his backing of Henry, especially in light of his ‘troubles’ coming to the fore, was misplaced. I also think his suggestion of a second referendum was misguided.
I still have the greatest of respect for Nigel but his decisions and direction of late has been a little troubling.
Winners
The NEC – “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing yours … you’ll be a man, my son!” to quote Rudyard Kipling. Despite all the slings and arrows, the NEC held firm, kept its integrity and only had to stand back and watch Henry implode at the AGM.
Yes, there needs to be a change to the constitution to realign the ‘checks and balances’ at the UKIP top table, but the NEC have already acknowledged this. I think the NEC played a blinder.
The Grassroots – Now, I need to be careful here because a 63% victory isn’t a whitewash; there’s a significant minority who wanted Henry to stay. However, the good news is that, in the main, the losing side appear to have accepted their lot and are back in the fold, ready to fight the common cause we all share – that’s a Kipper for you! Unlike another faction whose name escapes me for a moment … ah, yes, the Remoaners.
UKIP Daily and Kipper Central – The good folks that run these top-two independent UKIP sites have been instrumental in ensuring democracy in action, unbowed by unreasonable threats. An oasis of respect and fair play, the editors can rightly be proud of their diligent service to us all. Take a bow, Viv, Reece, Darrell and Co.!
Jo Marney – She could well be a winner. Infamy is still fame, and she has that now. For those TV shows that need a ‘baddie’ to spice up the mix, she could be just the ticket; shows like Big Brother, I’m a Celebrity and others. This is the world we live in; like it or not; that’s what I think will happen!
So, what about UKIP itself?
Well, our party has been battered alright. It’s not been good. A lot of credibility has been lost; after all, as the wise Chinese proverb states: “A fish rots from the head down” and that’s been how the electorate would have seen us lately.
But there’s the flipside. UKIP has been ruthless in dealing with the situation with an EGM quickly organised and situation resolved.
That’s the message for the doorsteps: yes, we weren’t happy with our leader and so he was replaced with a steady pair of hands until we find someone permanent. (Best not dwell on that!)
Certainly, UKIP is back in the news and we need to ride this publicity, such as it is, as we take our message to the streets: We want the Brexit that was voted for and will make damned sure we hold the government to account.
Chris,
Such as what though, do you mean as a spokesperson or press officer or something along those lines?
Hi DD, I think your question is in connection to which major role UKIP might have for Luke Nash-Jones. Well indeed he would make a good communicator for UKIP in terms of getting messages to wider audiences.
But he could do more also.
I think when I made the comment, I saw Gerard Batten working with a small number of people, who would drive UKIP forward, like a mini-cabinet.
This is partly why I do not wish to see there being a leadership election as UKIP has so much to do. Gerard Batten should place a couple-few people close by to get things moving. Luke Nash-Jones, a YI person and a couple-few more, whatever Gerard Batten thinks would work and who he could work with. I hope that’s not a cop out of an answer DD. Thanks.
I took it as read that the NEC would be one of those couple-few people.
Chris,
Hopefully Gerard will make sound choices, he has been around UKIP long enough to know where the snakes in the grass are!
I would like to agree with Dr. Foster in his comments about our representatives on the N.E.C. and the fact that they should represent a Region.
Coincidentally I received a ‘phone call from an N.E.C. member recently, following my letter to them setting out my views on Henry Bolton, and we talked for some time, and I ask whether she had heard of and met our S.W. Regional Chairman and our County Chairman and because she was based in Manchester, who have three representatives no less on the N.E.C., [of course it is a large area] she had not, and thereby hangs the tale. There is a huge disconnect between those who are responsible for the running of the party and the grassroots who are at the end of the organisation, doing all the hard work and running around.
I in fact said to this certain lady, that we desperately need Regional Representation on the N.E.C. and unfortunately I don’t think I convinced her. My view is that, if there are 12 members in total, spread over 9 Regions, then the three largest regions should each have two members, which makes it fair. The N.E.C. members should work as a team, but individually with the Regional Chairman and decisions should be passed down accordingly, everything should be open and above board, including minutes, accounts etc., as in any properly run organisation. I also suggested that the Chairman and Deputy from Young Independence should attend all the meetings as co-opted members as well as whoever is in charge of the Policy Committee, plus the Councillors Representative and so on.
Anyway, those are my thoughts and comments for what they are worth, and I am sure there will be plenty of other ideas to mull over as well!
Thanks heavens Gerard is now in charge, and I am sure he will be addressing at all these problems and will be making the necessary changes.
Why not give Luke Nash-Jones a little credit?
Foxhurst,
Luke Nash-Jones sounds like a country and western singer IMO.
Luke Nash=Jones deserves a lot of credit and should have a major role with UKIP.
Now that Bolton has gone and some of us were called ‘Fagaristas’ have we now become ‘Battenbergs’?
Hear Hear!
The best way to attract members is to actively campaign for our objectives. Henry was more Admiral Byng than Admiral Lord Nelson and was removed accordingly.
“Engage the enemy more closely”!
Thanks for that PB,
I also seem to remember one of Nelson`s that went something like this.
“It is never wrong to lay your ship alongside the enemy”
Just as a matter of interest,
I wonder what Lady Hamilton would have been “tweeting”
so he was replaced with a steady pair of hands until we find someone permanent. (Best not dwell on that!)
If the hands prove as steady as they appear then the safest thing to do is to elect them unopposed.
We need members.
Get recruiting.
Get active,
Write letters, post comments…
‘If the hands prove as steady as they appear then the safest thing to do is to elect them unopposed.’
Well said Emily. If we have the distraction of a Leadership campaign, hustings, more candidates than you can shake a stick at,then Gerard will not be able to get on with the job.
The job of restructuring will take more than 90 days. Gerard’s time as Interim Leader will end on May 18th. Guess what is happening on May 3rd in England, yes local elections. How stupid will it look to the average Joe in the street if the party is in the middle of two election campaigns!
I know we vote for the individual but who is going to vote for a party who may yet again change their Leader.
Biggest losers? British public as they still don’t have an effective force promoting a real Brexit. UKIP itself as the party is like a sinking ship, rolling in one direction and tossing a bunch of members overboard, then lurching to the other direction and tossing a different bunch of people overboard, then lurching back again etc etc….. e.g. the AMW supporters who left last time would be quite happy under the interim leader, but they left already. Whereas the Bolton supporters, many of whom if they had not been tainted by association with HB were backbone UKIP activists have now jumped. Perhaps the next leader would be more to their taste, but they’ll never know as they have gone. Politics is often said to be a game of addition, building as broad a coalition as possible whilst staying true to your core. We seem to be in an endless game of subtraction. I don’t feel the NEC has emerged from this well, not because of the VONC or the EGM, but because they presided over the mess of a leadership contest last time which took 4 months (longer than Bolton was leader for!), which failed to produce a definitive result (hence all the factionalism and infighting) and which failed to actually vet any of the candidates (HB was not the only dodgy CV in the race). The actual hustings were ineffective as when you have 9 candidates it takes half an hour just to do introductions and there was no time for real Q&A. Its amazing to me that senior party officials were on this site prior to the EGM saying things like ‘who knew Henry had run for the Libdems’ – I’m sorry, this is the kind of simple background checking that should have been done on candidates. It wasn’t hidden, I found it pretty easily, just a bit of googling. Same person was asking whether HB had ever stood for UKIP – again, how could this not have come out in a normal vetting and hustings process? If the next leadership election does not learn the lessons of the last, then all this pain will have been for nothing. Its OK to make a mistake once and learn from it, but not to keep on making the same mistake over and over.
Those who had so little loyalty to the party they jumped ship with AMW now have egg on all over their faces every time Gerard opens his mouth.
AMW at our hustings was a dead loss – all cliches – no originality, no ideas – just an average speaker – being kind and the charisma of a crow.
Gerard runs rings and then some, to use the word ‘compare’ is an insult to Gerard.
And the neo libs who have huffed off with Bolton, I would say have left us with a plus.
We don’t want division, we want a strong party to do a big job to save our country.
It is being invaded and occupied.
It is being betrayed and sold out.
It is being islamified in our very faces.
Our working class is being symbolically crucified – their wages plummeting – and affordable rentals and house prices – stark raving mad.
OK – so these two groups are gone.
Left are the hard core loyalists many of whom will be singing like angels to Gerard’s new hymn sheet.
Lets get out and make it work.
Start commenting in the media – posting links to Gerard’s interviews.
Start fighting back against defeatism and insult ,blitz spirit
And lets all get behind Gerard batten – make him leader – give the guy a chance.
Any potential leaders out there who plan to challenge-
put the thousands it will cost at this point of time where your nomination forms are.
Sometimes discretion is the better part of valour.
Discretion is called for now.
Anyone who challenges Saudi and Pakistani Sunni Wahhabi cash coming in and the evils f the Koran is the leader for me.
Go Gerard and sock it to the country together with Brexit and mass immigration and occupation – not least half the dregs of the EU.
Its what most of us have been waiting to hear.
See off the Fourth Reich as our families did the Third.
Emily,
Loyalty works both ways, you know. When the newly elected leader infers you’re a Nazi because you voted for someone other than him you’re expected to just suck it up, are you?
And, anyway, I think you’re being wise after the event. If it hadn’t been for Marneygate, Bolton could have remained leader for years with Gerard Batten having the most minor of roles. Good luck to that if you’d stuck around..
Thomas,
Don’t take us for fools, we would have found out about Bolton sooner or later, as for me I was just waiting for him to trip up as I never trusted him from the start. Give us some credit where it is due please.
I’m inclined to agree with Emily and DD on this.
DD do you agree that Emily should also be on the small cabinet mentioned earlier.
I think that the whole thing has had a cathartic effect.
It has shown that UKIP is not Nigel’s poodle as it has ejected someone who was nominated by Nigel in the Leadership election last year and who still seemingly enjoyed Nigel’s support to a greater or lesser degree.
It has shown UKIP to be a transparent and democratic party, and that the processes set out in the Constitution work.
It has shown that no one person is bigger than the party.
From what I could see the vote for Bolton was less about support for him and more about a vote against the NEC. This does seem to have been particularly the case in the Midlands where the EGM was held and where those holding this view were well organised. I do not believe that the vote for Bolton would have been as high if the EGM had been held elsewhere in the country.
Since Bolton’s defenestration there seems to be a breath of fresh air throughout the party — people are re-motivated and much more enthusiastic, there is a greater sense of purpose and more communication from the top — all in a very short space of time !
We do need reform of the NEC and the Constitution however — although I am fully aware that this is difficult to effect.
It seems crazy that the Interim Leader may serve only for the risibly short period of three months, that an EGM can only be voted at in person rather than postally, and that the NEC members are so little known to the rank and file. This latter is perhaps the cause of much of the disconnect between the NEC and the members, and one of the most urgent tasks of the new Leadership is surely to change this if at all possible so that NEC members are elected from the individual regions and therefore have more connection with the ordinary members whom they seek to represent?
Dr Foster, while I agree with you about the cathartic effect of the EGM, I’m not 100% behind the suggestion from you and some other members that the NEC should be comprised of regional representatives. Surely, the regions are already able to choose a likely candidate and promote that person within the region, ahead of NEC elections, if they wish.
I know none of the members of the NEC but, despite being a branch officer, I know few UKIP members outside my own branch, and none beyond the County boundary. I’ve attended regional meetings (as an observer) and some regional gatherings during campaigns, where the same group always takes charge. There is no deliberate exclusion of others yet nor is there any feeling of inclusivity. Despite the meagre amount of information on which we’re expected to vote for NEC candidates, I feel I know as much, if not more, about the ones I have voted for, than I would about a candidate from my own vast region.
I agree NEC changes are necessary, such as more information about candidates, published agendas and minutes, and as much information about staffing, finance, membership numbers etc as could reasonably be published, but I have yet to be convinced about the changes proposed.
Reality TV might prove a problem for Marney. Sponsors like Cadbury’s or Nescafe might not touch a programme if she taints it. But we shall see.
They have earned about £2500-3000 this week from media appearances. As ITV/BBC/LBC will not pay for political appearances, only ‘celebrity’ ones, there is the reason he resigned from UKIP just an hour before the ITV This Morning show.
He lied about everything, and took money from UKIP, its members and some generous private individuals ON FALSE PRETENCES.
He forced an EGM just to boost his story’s value and this cost UKIP and its members thousands of pounds. It was a completely cynical con-job. The man is scum.
As ever Mr Bav you are spot on!
We all knew he was a liar – repeated examples – now both he and Marney actually tell the public in a live interview he is a liar – Marney saying ..”the public shouldn’t trust him”….He’s gone, we lanced that boil. see below…
http://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/nick-ferrari/we-never-split-up-henry-bolton-jo-marney/
His trolls and devotees – we all know who they are, should in my view leave the party – we dont need or want such poisonous ‘3%-ers’, the rest of us roll up our sleeves and re-engage this fight to save not just Brexit, but now Democracy itself, from these anti-democratic Remoaners, and the ranks of the establishment.
The Brexit 2016 referendum we thought was the war – it wasn’t, it was the first major battle. The real fight has now begun, and we need to start the fight back on behalf of the British people.
Bav somewhere on here I attempted to cost the egm per person based on £50 average travel & out of pocket expenses for food coffee tea carparking etc and 10 hours time spent with guessed 1400 attendance.
1400 x 50 70,000
1400 x 10 14,000 hours
cost of venue
cost of head office staff time and materials.
Cost of delay to UKIP operating as a political party for 2 months.
cost of the factions and strife created by HB. First AMW supporters. Second HB supporters versus members agreeing with NEC decision.
Seems an expensive do, it all adds up.
Chris,
Yes, but it was worth every penny!
Too true DD,
Worse than that Chris as there were 1604 ballot papers issued (Interim Leader email) so that must be the number of attendees. Doing your maths again:
1604×50 = 80,200
1604×10 = 16,040
As you say expensive but worth it to ‘Bin Bolton’. I hope that the majority of those members who supported Bolton will now get behind Gerard as we need all hands to the pump.
Thanks Alec, the hours spent is quite staggering. Based on an 8 hour working day it is equivalent to several years of work, seven or eight years approx. £80,000 to £100,000 plus could’ve been saved had HB spent ten minutes typing a simple resignation letter to the NEC, bought a stamp and posted it.
Well Mr Bav, it was a pleasure to meet you in Birmingham last week. We did our duty and I suspect we should really thank Marney as, without her intervention, UKIP may have limped along under his (lack of ) leadership for some time. A lot has come out in the wash.
Who knows if he was just out of his depth or a ‘plant’ at least we now know he’s a self-confessed liar. (Crikey, the way he sniggered when telling Ferrari he played with words) I don’t think anyone believed he had ended his ‘romance’ and his brazen appearance in the Liberal Club had a lot to do with that VoNC. It has to have been deliberate – as if he fully intended to push us to the wire of a VoNC and EGM which is why so many think he was a plant out to destroy us.
BTW – anyone who managed to get through those 2 MSM farces without dashing to the loo to vomit may have spotted that he is STILL missing a critical chunk out.
Met her at the Folkestone Xmas lunch on 16th, talked for about 5 mins – photo taken. Yes, par for the course, we all lined up to have our pics taken with him back then. Says they didn’t know anything about each other (still don’t if the Mr & Mrs quiz is anything to go by, must have spent the time s-ing) Well that’s baloney as she will have known of him and must have decided he wasn’t worth making a play for as he wouldn’t win during the leadership election as a number of people have commented that she tried to get up close with other candidates.
Next we jump to Bolton, the King of Cringe having some kind of row with his wife and returning to Blighty around 23/24 Dec. Next thing, he’s with a her in public on Boxing day. (which us innocents read nothing suspicious into, despite, having spoken to him on his mobile in Vienna and being under the impression he was there for the Xmas hols)
MIND THE GAP folks – there’s a bit of jigsaw missing there. Talk for 5 mins on 16/12, full blown affair by 26/12.
My sympathies to his family!
PPM. Good to meet you too !
Marney indeed had plenty of photo ops with lots of key players within UKIP. She also dated Farage’s son for a while and had been in communication for a significant time with Banks, Wigmore, Farage senior, some members of the Indigo group, some NEC members Gawain Towler and YI.
I’m not implying any of this is sinister at all or that any of the above were in any way open to persuasion but there are a few people who now would not want to talk about that too much. She was certainly keen to get on within the party and knew how getting on with people tended to result in being parachuted into jobs such as ‘Head of Media’ or ‘Welsh Assembly Member’ . She knew that being blonde and young was never a disadvantage either. Be in no doubt whatsoever that unless Bolton had been removed, her promotion would have been rapid, paid for handsomely and f**k all to do with her qualification for any role, because its never been important in the past.
Let’s hope this sort of thing doesn’t happen again when the party recovers , or the offices of UKIP will resemble the set of a poorly scripted soap-opera.
Mr. Bav,
It is a terrible reflection on the party that someone like her could ‘climb’ through the ranks like she did, it shows weakness and poor judgement at it’s worse.