Statement from Jay Beecher- UKIP.
23/09/2016
For decades now, the people of Britain; good, honest, decent people, have been shamefully let down by the establishment. They feel neglected, they feel oppressed, and they feel downtrodden by successive governments, by out-of-touch political parties, and by career politicians that they cannot relate to, cannot rely upon, and above all, cannot trust.
We’re also being relentlessly taxed – from birth to the grave. We’re being priced-out of the housing market, subjected to a rise in in-work poverty, are often living from one payday to the next, and more and more, the average joe has found himself disconnected with politicsBut it was out of this oppressiveness and frustration that voters began to flock to UKIP in their millions. And there’s a very good reason for this. UKIP is different. We stand up for the people of Britain. We aren’t afraid to speak out against the many threats and travesties facing our country, no matter how controversial they may be to discuss. And, more importantly, we are real, we are honest, and we dare to confront the establishment head-on and don’t shy away from holding them to account. We oppose excessive taxes. We champion the working family. We oppose cardboard cutout, hypocritical politicians and their hollow promises, and we act as an amplifier for the voice of the people. And on June 24th, that voice shook up British politics forever and left a ringing in the ears of the greedy, self-centered minority who have taken advantage of we, the majority, for far too long.
The very next day I was on the front of the Daily Mail, with the sub header of: “It was the day the quiet people of Britain rose up against an arrogant, out-of-touch political class and a contemptuous Brussels elite.”
That was a moment I will never forget. It was also a moment when I truly believed that UKIP would now cement itself as the party that could improve our amazing country, heal its wounds, and finally change lives for the better.
But now, just a week after the announcement of UKIP’s new leader, I am disappointed to announce that I have my reservations.
As campaign manager for one of the leading candidates, I’ve been able to get a good insight into how our party operates. As a result, from what I’ve learnt, I’m resolved that, in its current format, UKIP is in a state of crisis.
A few at the top, through ego, and through personal interest, have launched a fierce regime to control our great party. They have purposely demoted or ostracised members who have been long-standing stalwarts of UKIP, whilst promoting members who do not represent our true values or aims, but instead serve only to instill division and to ensure that the ‘mates club’ at the top flourishes, whilst our grassroots members, and our branches, and our councilors, and the people we represent, are ignored or in some cases shunned altogether.
Great people such as Suzanne Evans, who played a crucial part in writing our fully-costed manifesto, and has so much to offer. Neil Hammilton, who has fought loyally for UKIP in Wales, and Douglass Carswell, our only MP, who has stood by UKIP despite constant unfounded accusations made against him. In fact, anyone who has dared to point out the immoral actions of anyone associated with the top tier cronyism in our party has been slandered and demonized by an egotistical clique. Party loyalty has been rebranded as disloyalty. We have also fallen victim to a controlling donor, to corruption, and in some cases, have even allowed acts of racism to go unpunished. This MUST stop.
When Suzanne Evans is suspended for speaking out against homophobia, yet Jamie Ross McKenzie – the chairman of our Youth Wing, gets away scot free after being cautioned by police for verbally and racially abusing a black doorman, or after using white supremacist terms on social media and encouraging appalling levels of racism and trolling, you know we have a serious problem.
It is my strong opinion that our youth wing has become a breeding ground for racism and bigotry, clothed in the disguise of anti-political correctness. YI needs either seriously reforming or disbanding altogether.
I filed an official complaint, calling for the discipline or expulsion of certain members who had made racist or derogatory comments; the chairman of YI included. Yet to date, this complaint has been ignored. And that is because Jamie Ross McKenzie – who gave the closing speech at our Bournemouth Conference, worked for a particular candidate in the leadership race.
And that brings me on to Diane James.
One of my first conversations about Diane was with her campaign manager, Ian McKie, in Europe House in London, on the day of candidate vetting. He was a rather honest chap. surprisingly open at times.
He informed me of how the mates club were now convinced that their chosen puppet, Steven Woolfe, would be dropped from the ballot paper due to his clumsy admin error. Although I suspect that his failure to disclose a past criminal conviction might have had the wheels turning in motion to have him replaced, anyway.
His replacement, of course – with her application form being reluctantly submitted just 15 minutes before the deadline, was Diane James.
And Ian, her campaign manager at the time, explained to me how desperate Farage had been to deliver woolfewith the silver bullet, and to replace him with Diane. Diane, however, as Ian told me, didn’t want the job at all. She lives predominantly in France, and her employment as an MEP supports this rather agreeable lifestyle.
But it was already decided for her that she would stand. Farage convinced her. And Arron Banks (who uses our party as his play thing) convinced her not to attend any hustings for fear that she wouldn’t fair well against stronger candidates.
In direct contradiction of rule N4 of our party’s rulebook, Diane James was given unfair advantage in the contest by being able to use the Leave.EU database to send out her campaign material to millions of people. Under rule N4, this should have meant that Diane James should have either had a considerable amount of votes deducted from her, or should have been disqualified altogether. This, despite my raising it with the returning officer, went ignored.
Meanwhile, it appears clear that the outcome of the race had been determined long before the off.
Once the trigger was pulled, a series of incompetence and negligence ensued.
Because my whistleblowing has been surprised by the party, I am left with no alternative but to reveal some of the many cock-ups made by the returning officer, Adam Richardson, and by other senior members; blunders which were then subsequently silenced.
One of Diane’s assenters, the wife of Ian McKie, in fact, is NOT a member of UKIP. This has been confirmed by head office, and means that Diane’s paperwork wasn’t in order, did not meet the strict criteria set out from the beginning, and as such, just like Steven Woolfe, Diane James should NOT have been able to stand, and subsequently should NOT be out new leader.
Now, this may all seem trivial. A mere technicality. Sour grapes, even. But it isn’t.
Our rules are there for a reason. Bending them for personal interest only goes to show that, through corruption, mismanagement, and the exploitation of incompetence, a handful of people are trying to turn our party into one that is like all the others.
UKIP is better than that.
I joined this party because I believe that we provide an alternative option. I want an open, honest, united party which champions communities and fights for the improvement of living standards in Britain.
UKIP is in reaching distance of delivering on this and the various other promises it has made to the people.
Without UKIP there would have been no referendum. Without UKIP there would be no alternative choice on offer.
United, we can achieve remarkable things. We cannot allow a small handful of self-serving politicians or plain and simple negligence, or a power-hungry donor, destroy what so many passionate and decent people have achieved.
I got involved in politics because, like all of us, I want to make a difference, and because I’m sick to death of cronyism, or fake politicians, and false promises.
Since whistleblowing about the racism and corruption that is destroying our great party, pressure by Jamie Ross McKenzie and from Diane's team has been implemented, and I have subsequently now been suspended by Paul Oakden, pending a review by a panel of NEC members. Whilst I find it disappointing that our party chairman would ignore the racism, islamaphobia, and corruption i highlighted, thus sending out the message that this is acceptable behaviour, yet suspend me for standing against it, I have to admit I fully anticipated it.
I have since received an overwhelming amount of support from our grassroots across the country, from chairmen, and even from members of the NEC and members of the Welsh assembly.
I will continue to fight against the poisonous elements trying to destroy UKIP from within, and will continue to expose the many cases of cronyism, hypocrisy, corruption, and indeed racism, until it can no longer be swept under the carpet.
I stand by my principles, and firmly believe that one should NEVER shy away from challenging someone's immorality simply because one shares the same political belief system, or swears allegiance to the same party.
I therefore now openly challenge the powers that be in UKIP to address these issues with the utmost urgency; to expel anyone who has made racist or derogatory comments, which are completely against what we stand for, and which send out the wrong message to the electorate. I urge you to fully investigate this leadership election and to reconsider the legitimacy of Diane James’s candidacy and subsequent leadership. And above all, I implore you to move away from this mates-club mentality, to shape-up, to professionalize, to broaden our appeal, and to be the party which our country not only needs, but the party that it deserves
Jay Beecher
Deputy Chairman
UKIP Peterborough
