Politics – UKIP _It’s That Man Again

UKIP now reduced to an old comedy programme?

Readers of a certain age will be aware of an old, (very old) radio comedy programme called ITMA (It’s That Man Again) starring Tommy Handley. UKIP have their very own version starring Kerry Smith one time candidate for South Basildon and east Thurrock. You may remember that he was the official candidate before Neil Hamilton became it. He was it again after Hamilton was forced to resign after his expenses were called into question.

Smith was then forced to resign after he made some choice remarks. He made offensive remarks about gay people, other UKIP members and Chigwell in Essex. You may ask what those remarks were? The Maiil on Sunday says that he mocked gays as ‘pooftahs’ and referred to a woman as a ‘chinky bird’ in phone calls. Just what did he say about Chigwell? I have yet to find out but for it to be on a par with homophobic and racist comments it must have been quite something.
That is all getting away from my point, if I have one. Mr Smith says that he may have been the victim of “black arts” within the party, however that does not seem to ring true if you read The Mail Online. That says that Smith was protected by Farage. It says; A leaked email shows the lengths Mr Farage was prepared to go to help him be selected for the seat. When Ukip members in Basildon met 11 days ago to pick a candidate, Mr Smith was not on the list, having been banned weeks earlier. But hours before they met, Mr Farage emailed Ukip’s national executive urging them to give him another chance.
He wrote: ‘As leader of Ukip I have never involved myself in candidate selections. But in the case of Basildon South, I have received many objections to the removal of Kerry Smith from the local branch. The reason for his exclusion is he is a bit rough and ready, and there were several rumours which have not been substantiated.
‘We have been too cautious so I recommend we reverse our earlier decision.’
It may well be that Farage’s main concern was to block Neil Hamilton, not that I would blame him if that was the case. Hamilton is seen as a toxic candidate given his past, and obnoxious wife. His candidacy would taint the rest of the party although not everyone agrees with me. (Also from the Mail Online) A senior Ukip source said: ‘Nigel has shown a lack of judgment over Kerry Smith. In the eyes of some he abused his power in trying to get him a Parliamentary seat. We can’t understand why he appears so keen to speak up for Smith. It looks as though he was so desperate to stop Hamilton, whom he dislikes and sees as a rival, he lost all sense of proportion.’
Ukip leaders also revealed a tape of Mr Smith’s remarks was sent to them months ago.
A party insider said: ‘Farage’s team knew about Smith’s disgraceful remarks. That is why he was fired in the first place. They thought the tape recording would never see the light of day so they put him back on the list. Others thought the public should know the truth.’
The most amazing thing about this whole story is not that Farage wanted to stop Hamilton. It is not that Smith used racist and homophobic terms. It is his excuses for his language;
After apologising “unreservedly” he added: “My language, for the record, was no worse than watching an old episode of Fools and Horses to be fair. I come from the East End, the word was never offensive and if you talked politically correct where I grew up you were battered for being a boffin.”
Sorry, he still watches Fools and Horses? That is just the forward thinking MP that we need. Also what does it say for where he grew up that not using racist language makes you “a boffin”?
Mr Smith said the UKIP constituency had “become a real farce as far as the national party’s concerned”.
At least the former UKIP candidate has that right.

Tags: Politics, UKIP