It says in the Bible as a dog returns to its vomit so a fool returns to his folly. Marta Andreasen was pushed by Farage into no 2 on the SE MEP list in 2009. I spoke at UKIP's NEC against her ever going on a UKIP MEP slate as she breached 6 of UKIP's and the Electoral Commissions candidate requirements. She was waved on by old failed Tory Gill, a man not known for his perception. She turned against Farage around 2013 and joined the Tories in time to lose as Tory MEP candidate in 2014. She was Farage's top pick for 2009.
Roll on 5 years and the folly repeats itself with old Tory Atkinson, Nigel's top pick in the SE region for UKIPs 2014 MEP slate. Here is a brief history of La Atkinson from Wikepedia.
"
Janice Ann Atkinson (born 31 August 1962) is a Member of the European Parliament for the South East Englandregion for the UK Independence Party. She was elected in 2014, second on the list for the region behind Nigel Farage.
Political career[edit]
Controversy[edit]
It was also reported that, before she joined UKIP, Atkinson was dropped from the
2011 alternative vote campaign following a meeting with undecided
Conservativesin which she mentioned "her support for elements of" the
British National Party's platform.
[6] A few days later Atkinson swore at
anti-racism campaigners. The incident followed her call for 'abusive' anti-UKIP protestors to be arrested by the police. A photo capturing the moment was widely reported and went viral on social media.
[7] Atkinson, who has described towns in Kent as 'no-go areas' as a result of
Eastern European immigration, has defended her position, claiming she marched as part of the
Anti-Nazi League in her youth.
[8]
In August 2014 she issued an apology after being recorded by a
BBC news crew referring to a
British Thai constituent and UKIP supporter as "a ting-tong from somewhere" a term used in Thailand about insane people. The woman and her husband threatened to withdraw from UKIP membership but changed their mind after a personal apology from UKIP leader Nigel Farage.
[9][10] Interviewed on camera later at their home, the woman and her husband said that Atkinson hadn't apologized to them & was quite belligerent. Whilst speaking of Atkinson Farage said "99% of UKIP member's aren't like that and don't hold those views."
[9]
In December 2014 it was revealed that Atkinson, whose annual salary as an MEP was around £79,000 per year, owed more than £2,000 in unpaid
child support.
[11]Her ex-husband claimed this had "caused major hardship for her son and for her family".
[11] Atkinson was singled out for particular criticism as she had previously attacked "feckless families" who have more children than they can afford.
[12][13]
In March 2015 she was suspended from the party following "allegations of a serious financial nature."
[1]"
Much of that information on Atkinson was in the public domain but nobody it seems in
UKIP's NEC bothered to check. Nigel does not encourage that sort of due diligence.
Most worrying is her reported support of elements of the BNP's platform. I have seen innocent people who had never had any contact with the BNP or supported the BNP in any way vilified and kicked out of UKIP. Why this woman was put on the 2014 UKIP MEP slate and then selected as a PPC for a very winnable seat in the coming 7th May, 2015 general election?
By selecting candidates like Atkinson UKIP is pissing away the best chance we will ever have of leaving the EU