The UKIP MEP selection process, as administered by Party Chairman Steve Crowther, has caused huge divisions in the UKIP faithful.
My own experience of the decision process within UKIP is one of nepotism and misadministration and this is condoned at Branch level where anybody who questions whether the party constitution is being followed can simply have their membership cancelled without due process.
Any form of appeal is made behind closed doors to a few individuals and this is also the case for the so called democratic selection of MEP candidates. In the case of UKIP MEP Mike Nattrass he was interviewed by a panel of two consisting of Steve Crowther and Roger Bird (Chairman of the SE selection committee and Nigel Farage’s organiser for the European elections).
Following a wave of concern in the West Midlands at the way Mike Nattrass MEP had been ‘deselected’ it was decided to form a completely new party. Eurosceptic representatives travelled from across the country to endorse a new, more democratic and representative Independence party and by common agreement this has been registered as AN INDEPENDENCE PARTY.
I have been invited to meet with representatives from An Independence Party as a follow up and in an attempt to hammer out a more realistic set of policies that will have appeal across the community and give all Eurosceptics a better choice for a fairer society.
Some policies have already been decided and a more comprehensive manifesto will be in place well before the next elections in May.
David Smith
Exeter
