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Mike's motives are pretty transparent and unavoidable really without overruling the decision of the independent panel of head hunters and recruitment consultants as to who made the shortlist. Chris Pain's decision is undoubtedly in response to him being suspended from the party despite the police dropping a racism case against him without charge.
No reason was given for Mike failing the MEP selection process but the decision was made by independent consultants and Mike's claims of cronyism and rule breaking just don't stand up to scrutiny. Nigel Farage had no part in the selection process because he's a candidate and had to go through the same selection process as everyone else.
The reason for the suspension of Chris Pain has also not been made public but is likely to be in response to an email that was distributed a week or so ago trying to stir up rebellion amongst the membership over the selection process that he was also unsuccessful in.
Whether the decisions were right or not is a moot point - nobody knows enough about what's happened to know whether they were or not - but both cases could undoubtedly have been handled better. In both cases the membership are getting one side of the story from the aggrieved party and their supporters (who are also only getting one side of the story) because there is virtual silence from the party. This will have all blown over in a couple of weeks but someone needs to do some damage limitation now before it gets out of hand.
wonkotsane is an author at Bloggers4UKIP.
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eegypeegy · 600 weeks ago
wonkotsane 85p · 600 weeks ago
Nyree · 600 weeks ago
While there are doubtless problems in the MEP candidate selection procedure, and a lot of sore people who didn't make the final cut, the party really should be working hard on being transparent, responsive, and KIND to such protesters. A kindly word or acknowledgement of a grievance goes a long, long way towards defusing it.
@jwrotherham · 600 weeks ago
@pperrin · 599 weeks ago
Although I have been a UKIP candidate more than once, helped found and was vice-chair of the local branch and still actively support and promote the party, I let my membership lapse a while back just to avoid the crap that was happening at the time. The internal workings are a diversion from the real purpose, they only have to be 'adaquate' - the real purpose is getting the UK out of the EU.
I may join again, be a candidate again etc - my advice to any upset with UKIP is to forget about it, just keep doing whatever is needed to get the UK out of the EU and lets sort it out once the UK is independent again.
George Ashcroft · 599 weeks ago
wonkotsane 85p · 599 weeks ago
George Ashcroft · 599 weeks ago
Do you think that being an MEP is a "high powered job"? Being the CEO of EXXON Mobil is a "high powered" job. Being an MEP is to democratically represent the views and wishes of people in a parliament and to put across points of moral and political principle. There is something very amiss, in my view, when a political party even sees the need to hire independent consultants to essentially vet candidates.
"It kind of validates the decision (of the independent consultants running the process) not to put him on the shortlist."
On the contrary, that Mike Natrass fought a perceived injustice should be commended. It demonstrates that the man has fire in his belly and is prepared to stand his ground. Srife, struggle, argument and debate are the lifeblood of politics. UKIP will get nowhere with "independent consultants" running the show.
George Ashcroft · 599 weeks ago
George Ashcroft · 599 weeks ago
steve · 599 weeks ago