Below are the letters held back in the run-up to yesterday’s rally. We publish them without further comment since the issue they address is self-evident. Many other resignation letters were sent in private emails and will therefore not be published. Letters in support of Gerard Batten will be published in a separate Letters Column today:
Dear Kirstan,
The membership requires an urgent explanation of how UKIP leadership can carry on destroying the party, acting against the will of the majority of the UKIP membership, what is the end objective? Resignations are coming in at an alarming rate, not only from the rank and file membership, but from long serving senior members.
As chair of UKIP I must ask you to explain your position on this issue. No push for additional members from Tommy Robinson’s supporters can possible be worth the destruction of the UKIP ideal. No party leader is greater than the party membership. I am aware that the NEC dismissed a vote of no confidence in Gerard’s Leadership, but to avoid complete disaster and prevent UKIP becoming the party of hate, no changes should be made until March when Leadership elections are due, the membership (what’s left) can then make their decision. The NEC resolution on Tommy Robinson not having any official or unofficial connection with Gerard should be strictly enforced.
Respectfully, Philip Wray, Chair Hove & Portslade UKIP Branch, South East Sussex SECOM Rep
~~~ OOO ~~~
Sir,
I feel I should explain why I stood down as a Branch Secretary last month and then, following Nigel’s recent example, left the party.
It was seeing Nigel on Question Time and his stance on leaving the EU that persuaded me to join UKIP four years ago. I liked the exclusion list that put to bed the stupid claims that UKIP was then a racist party.
The party had won the European elections and my branch had come a very credible second in the local elections.
Now, with our new leader and his association with Tommy Robinson and their views on Islam, this is no longer the party that I joined.
Gerard is sending the wrong message to the 17.4 million who might otherwise actually vote for UKIP. At this moment the party should be concentrating full time on getting a proper Brexit and not damaging it.
This leader may claim to have saved the party earlier in the year, but the true saviours were the membership who put their hands in their pockets. Recent membership numbers in my branch have only shown a small increase since the depths of the Bolton days, being now about 60% of what it was when I first joined. With Chequers and then Mrs May’s proposed withdrawal agreement, UKIP should now be a lot higher than 8% in the polls.
I am sad to leave UKIP, having made a number of good friends. At the moment I have no political party to vote for. Perhaps a Brexit party will now be formed or perhaps a new leader such as David Kurten might entice me back. Anyway I will now support ‘Leave means Leave’.
Respectfully, Tim Cooper, formerly Branch Secretary – Mid Sussex
~~~ OOO ~~~
Sir,
may I congratulate you on the stance of waiting until Monday to publish letter from those resigning from the Party. For some time I have been concerned with the direction Gerrard has been taking the Party. My Branch, Oxfordshire, organised an event with Alan Craig, a man I like and admire for his stance on the family, but his position on Islam, and the manner of his presentation of the problem gave me great pause for thought. I do not make big decisions on a whim, and after consulting with friends, Kippers and others, and my family, such as it is, I resigned from the Party and the offices (3), both Elected and Appointed, signing my letter of Resignation during the Last Post on 11/11/2018.
Since then, my concerns have grown, the former Leader of a proscribed organisation has been appointed a private adviser to the Leader, with members leaving over this appointment. The only response: some will leave, but he has lots of followers who will join!
Sorry folks, UKIP is not about numbers it is about a belief in Democracy, and fighting through the Ballot Box to win seats to Leave the EU and for the Country to follow our Policies and Principles. To that end we Campaign, we Leaflet, we set up Street Stalls and above all we talk to people. Pressure Groups organise marches, shouting meaningless slogans, witness the Momentum Demo outside our AGM this year.
My only advice: do campaign with leaflets with stalls, or in the press, but do not open yourself up to being associated with any element that may turn violent. Has the Leadership forgotten how long and hard we fought to rid ourselves of the Racist Label? Has the Leadership forgotten that UKIP is a serious Political Party, that has achieved great things? The image of the Grumpy Old Men Down the Pub went years ago. By being a cohesive political campaigning force, UKIP gained and won the Referendum. A pressure group will gain nothing but the demise of what could have been a significant political force in our Nation. All this because an violent (Convicted of GBH) ex football hooligan is appointed as an adviser, at the cost of losing experienced campaigners only to be replaced by an element that are beyond control. I fear the 9th December will be seen as the start of the death throes of that once great Party UKIP.
Respectfully, Jim Stanley, reluctant Ex Member
~~~ OOO ~~~
Sir,
I have followed and supported UKIP for a good few years, (since the days of BLAIR the liar) but, because of what I can only call recent disastrous changes in leadership and policy together with the association with a seriously problemed man who has a mentality which has no place in politics I withdraw all support for UKIP and shall suffer the indignity of a third rate political party rather than be associated with UKIP any more.
John G. Bojke
~~~ OOO ~~~
Sir,
David Kurten has acted correctly. He strongly disagrees with the direction that he sees Gerard Batten taking the Party but crucially remains a member. UKIP is the only Party that is united in its commitment to a clean Brexit, yet several MEP’s and Suzanne Evans have chosen this moment to resign from it. How does that help Brexiteers to achieve their aim? Bearing in mind that in a few months time the Party has to consider whether Batten should continue as leader, I would have hoped that those MEP’s and others who have recently resigned would have all publicly expressed their strong opposition to the possible membership of TR and disassociated themselves from the event this Sunday. However they should all have retained their membership at least until it has been decided whether Batten is to continue as leader. Until the last few months I thought him an excellent leader. I still think that he is a good man doing his very best in difficult circumstances but he seems to lack the necessary antennae to warn him of serious trouble ahead.
It is possible that TR does have something to offer but it should have been clear that too close an association with him would not go down well with many in the Party. To have different opinions on tactics as to how we exit the EU would be understandable but to fall out and separate over something that is not directly related to the EU is tragic and I should add most depressing, particularly for ordinary members who can do absolutely nothing about it. Respectfully, Richard Lark
~~~ OOO ~~~
Sir,
Tsar Nicholas II appointed a thug – Rasputin – as his personal special adviser. The bad reputation of the man who was seen by all as the power behind the throne brought down the Russian Empire. Gargantuan errors of judgement can appear to be small, but the course of history was irreversibly changed and 100 years later, the whole world is still suffering the consequences of what followed in Russia.
Emperor Nero kept burning down Rome, oblivious to the universal disquiet his rule was causing. Out of loyalty, the Senators failed to do anything for too long – until eventually they declared him a public enemy and announced their intention to execute him. Sometimes firm action early obviates more drastic action later.
Good leaders and good senators learn from history.
Respectfully, Dr Tomasz Slivnik
I have been following this sorry saga, and I am totally confused. We call ourselves a “political” party, yet behave like we were still in the playground at school. If you look at people who joined a small organisation as our party was a few years back, I think you had two types of people, the first was like me, willing to contribute to a party that had the same ideals as I, this I did by being a member and paying my dues, and every so often making a small donation, and passing out leaflets to my friends and family, and finally putting up the biggest poster that would fit on my fence. This I did without expecting anything in return, except maybe a better future for my grandchildren. On the other hand you will always get a type of person who joins for what they can get out of membership, ie a job, recognition, and a sense of being better than us mere mortals. If some one is of the second sort, I would call them a career politician, just as make up almost 100% of the MP’s we have now, but if you look at these career MP’s, and what has been going on now for two years, none, no matter what they thought of their leader, have resigned from their parties, they have left their government or shadow jobs, but they still retain their membership of their respective party. This is where we show ourselves to be immature and maybe not worthy of being called a political party, even before this current spat, we have had MEP’s and counsellors jumping ship, and not returning their seats, and leaving the party. This shows that a true statesman would maybe because of principle resign a job, but would stay in the party to try to put things right. To go back to the beginning of this comment, throwing ones rattle out of the pram, and stomping off in a huff, only makes the other parties believe we are no threat, and maybe that is true, if we cannot behave like adults, how can we expect the electorate to trust us with their futures.
Responding to JackT’s comment on further information – I came across the following on sale at Conference in September:
Things We Should All Know About Islam by Kalab bin Farash. A self-published book, copies available from the author:
kalabbinfarash@gmail.com . It’s 99 pages are well worth reading.
My ignorance is profound it is deep and cynical and hopeless. It is weary and bored beyond belief.. UKIP cannot be saved. Just sweep us all up into Scotland or Stoke.. Give em a sweetener like a bit of railway, keep the labour councillors a triumph.
It seems to me from the letters, where the location of the writer is apparent, that the writer likely has no idea of the issues which our industrial / former industrial towns face as a result of mass Muslim immigration over many years. May I suggest a fact finding tour?
Of course there is a time and place to face this enemy but now, when we are facing daily acts of treason by those in government, is not the time for potentially controversial policies.
In furtherance of fact finding about the Islamic invasion of those towns perhaps I can suggest a book:
2030: Your Children’s Future in Islamic Britain: Europe’s Great Immigration Disaster.
There is much more available if one were to look for it rather than simply ignoring or dismissing the issue.