Independence News

Independence News is always a riveting read and I turned with some personal interest to the article entitled "NEC: a wealth of skills and experience" by one Phil Griffiths, NWRC. Mr Griffiths was obviously impressed by the great minds he met on UKIP NEC and 'had much to digest as I prepared for my meeting having heard the rumours, misinformation and downright lies that had been circulating in the media and on the Internet that had been circulating in the media and on the Internet by those with their own agendas'.

When on the NEC I did explain, with agreement from David Abbott and Del Young that I had but one agenda and that was to get the UK out of the EU in my lifetime. I am sorry therefore to read that some of those left unexpelled on the NEC appear still to have a different agenda.

Mr Griffiths also remarks on how friendly and convivial was the atmosphere. He should watch out. Appearances can be deceptive. At the Nov 3rd 2008 NEC meeting Mr Farage admitted he had set up a plot with a journalist from the Independent newspaper to entrap poor Martin Haslam into talking to said journalist without Mr Farage's permission. Strange indeed as Mr Farage had himself arranged for the same journalist to call Mr Haslam to 'test his loyalty' as Mr Farage quaintly put it. Beware Mr Griffiths for you never know how your loyalty may be tested and when the call might come.

At another NEC meeting I attended Mr Bannerman admitted sending out spoof emails to his fellow NEC members as a 'security check'. Strange indeed as the NEC had never even discussed let alone approved such checks. It was also a strange security check as it was targeted at one person, David Abbott, whom Mr Bannerman clearly thought was the security risk. How disappointed he must have been when 8 months later it emerged that the 'leak' was not from anyone on the NEC but an administrative bungle by UKIP's computer mailing system. But again beware Mr Griffiths, some emails from your fellow NEC members may not be what they seem.

I hope Mr Griffiths enjoys his time on, 'a very effective and capable NEC'. Unfortunately the above evidence shows the opposite is the case. The UKIP NEC is in fact ineffective and incapable.

Finally, a word of advice to Mr Bannerman, if you are going to run a security check on a committee get it approved first and then check everyone on the committee otherwise people rightly get upset when they find out that they alone have been being singled out for Mr Bannerman's attentions.