BEN WALKER: The Coup That Never Was

To say the last few weeks have been turbulent for our party and its membership is an understatement to say the least.  It’s like we have been living out a pound shop version of ‘Sex in the City’ as a box set binge.

Now many of you will say relationships are a private matter and should be treated as such to which, I completely agree.  Unfortunately, when you post that private life on social media you somewhat lose control of the “keeping it private” argument.

That said, the relationship of our leader has never been the source of my upset with him, the dishonestly has.

Up until the point of receiving the pre-emptive email from Mr Bolton, I had remained loyal.  I had even been offered a team role in the “Save Our Services” campaign which, never seemed to get going.  I continued to work hard at branch level across the country, talking to members, visiting branches and keeping the fire alive on social media, along with a huge number of other members.  However, when the email came claiming fake news was on its way, I started to doubt the position he had taken.

Once the stories started to break I messaged Mr Bolton direct and respectfully requested that he clarified some of the details pertaining to the timeline as many members were confused by the inconsistencies and were contacting me.  He replied and coldly and directed me back to his statement.

As the stories continued to surface the ex-boyfriend of Miss Marney contacted me through another member.  At this point I was aware he had spoken to at least four people with revelations about Miss Marney.  I did not seek out he ex, nor did I pay him for information.  I simply put him in touch with people who could help him tell his story as he wanted.  At no point did I publish any of the information he was so freely giving me.

It became clear very quickly that the woman Mr Bolton had left his wife for was toxic.  She held views I found abhorrent and I wanted to distance myself from them; hence I felt it necessary call for him to resign.  Whilst I understand that Mr Bolton wasn’t responsible for her remarks, he assumed responsibility for them by trying to publicly defend them, citing they had been ‘taken out of context’.  The truth was that her vile views couldn’t be taken out of context because they were just so clear. She even admitted to being racist.  Mr Bolton would also have been made aware of these messages by Saturday morning at the latest, yet he stuck by his girlfriend to the detriment of the party. He allowed it to be said that the party leader had a racist girlfriend.

Then following pressure, our leader having just left his wife and young children at Christmas, even though she wasn’t completely aware of this ended “the romantic element” of his relationship with Miss Marney, effectively throwing his new squeeze to the wolves to save his own skin.  Without dwelling on the past, there would seem to be a pattern here.

As we all know, the break-up didn’t last long as journalists caught the two lovebirds out shortly after.

Mr Bolton continues to support Miss Marney’s disgusting views by association.  Not only that his treatment of women is despicable.  We see further evidence of this with an au pair in the press as I write along with more racist drivel from Miss Marney. He had no intention of calling it off with Miss Marney and continues to play the membership as fools.

He has consistently lied throughout this whole situation, repeatedly blamed others and taken no responsibility for his actions whatsoever.  Have you heard him apologise once for the embarrassment he has caused members and activists including the ones who are currently campaigning to save their seats in Mays local elections?  The answer is no.

All he has done is tried to deflect his misgivings and lies onto others, citing a coup which never was.  He has threatened an ex-boyfriend of Miss Marney who has Asperger’s with legal action for wanting to tell the truth.  He has stated he wants to support Miss Marney through a very difficult time as she has been close to suicide.  Normally when somebody is experiencing those feelings and is close to doing something terrible they seek professional/family help or check-in to A&E, not Disneyland Paris.

Mr Bolton has tried to attack my friends and I in a bid to cover his mistruths.  He has published snippets from online conversations in an attempt to damage me.  The exact action he has complained about of others by taking messages out of context.

I’m not even sure Mr Bolton knows what’s a lie and what’s the truth anymore.

I have always made clear this party needs to embrace and utilise the hard working grassroot members, whilst engaging a program of reform to make us relevant and credible once again. That has to be our focus. The membership have to be listened to and carried with any leader to ensure the party’s success and now, survival. 

During Mr Bolton’s short reign thus far he has delivered NO policy, NO re-organisation NO use of the grassroots and NO change of the failing party management.  What he has shown is a frightening lack of judgement for a party leader and some rather unwholesome characteristics. 

For every minute that Mr Bolton remains in post, he makes the prospect of a recovery for this party even harder.

The public are the ones we need to convince UKIP is worth voting for again.  Unfortunately, with Mr Bolton at the helm we are irrelevant and a laughing stock.

I again call for the leader to carry out the honourable action and resign.  If he doesn’t, it will only serve to destroy this party once and for all and fortify the thinking that he could well be a Walter Mitty establishment plant carrying out his final mission.