Will Pearson show his face at the Torquay conference?

Malcolm Pearson has let UKIP down. He  purported to be the leader of a party seeking independence for his country and  yet he walked out of the job leaving an administrative mess, or should I say Eton mess, presumably so as not to miss the stag shooting season with his old Tory chums. Clearly he does not want to account for his pathetic performance verging on sabotage of UKIP's General Election campaign particularly in the South West where the conference takes place.

His behaviour comes as no surprise to me but will UKIP members learn from this sorry episode? On their past record, No. They will do as before and vote in as new puppet leader whoever is endorsed, as Lord Pearson was, by the cult leader N Farage. Remember the last election with Farage on national TV describing Pearson as head and shoulders above all the other candidates and hence denigrating people who had spent many years working hard for UKIP in favour of a newly arrived, Thatcher created Life Peer, who ditched UKIP as soon as it suited his real agenda.

Ah say the sycophants but UKIP increased its share of the vote. But look at the highly favourable circumstances of the General Election for UKIP. The voter's were still mad with their MP's over the expenses scandal. The Labour government was in disgrace and the Tory party was nothing more than a bunch of public school PR oiks. The LibDems, campaigning as the clean party, were at over 30% in the polls at one stage, unknown since the days of Lloyd George. And what did UKIP achieve but, 3.1% of the vote and zero MPs, again! Its not easy in a fptp system for small parties but the Greens managed one by concentrating on an area, Brighton, where they had been building up their strength over previous elections.

Where was UKIP's main effort and money put? Contesting Buckingham, one of the safest Tory seats in the country, to generate personal publicity for Farage! Well Bercow unsurprisingly bested him easily and the whole thing ended in the air crash farce where thank God no one was killed. But Nigel got the best UKIP result at 17.4% of the vote say the sycophants. Given the amount of TV time and money was that really a good result? The Independent, John Stevens, also standing on an anti Bercow platform, without Farage's money or TV coverage, came second with 21.4% of the vote! All Farage achieved was to finish third, split the anti Bercow vote and let the Tory back. There is a pretty obvious message there. Voters given the choice between Farage and another candidate on the same issue won't vote Farage. (In the Europeans in the South East they voted UKIP.)

The money and effort should have been invested in UKIP's strongest region the South West where results in the 6% to 9% range, twice the national average, were achieved by good local candidates who are there for the long haul. And who did most to destroy the moral of UKIP's South West candidates? Why old Lord Pearson urging these committed candidates to stand down in favour of his Tory friends. Given this, UKIP's South West results were excellent, Thank goodness many of these candidates will be back fighting these seats again in the next election. And where will Lord Pearson be? Up on Rannoch moor a'chasing the deer!


I urge UKIP members to vote for a leader who is in it for the long haul in this country and not some media wannabe posturing in Brussels.