Total Politics carries an interview with UKIP leader, Lord Pearson of Rannoch this month which I read with interest. He explains away some of his more unguarded moments like accusing “the Muslims of breeding ten times faster than us” in an interview that has been replayed by BNP activists to promote their own extreme racist views.
However one part of the interview of particular local interest was when he explained why his main aim is to stop the Conservative Party winning a working majority. He believes a hung parliament would be a first step in a realignment of British politics. When asked how this would benefit UKIP, he explains “We would then be free to join up with decent real people, Liberal Democrats in the south west.”
We have seen in Sutton how local UKIP activists have already aligned themselves alongside the Liberal Democrat establishment. I wonder if the two LibDem MPs and local councillors are happy bedfellows in this new partnership?
Paul.
You are absolutley right.
UKIP have astonishingly become apologists for the Lib Dems.
Whaton earth will happen next?
It looks as if UKIP Councillor David Pickles formulated this policy for Lord pearson of Rannoch – after all, David posted it here first!
You couldn’t make it up.
Not at all Paul. You see the difference is that firstly the so-called “Tories” (Toryism went out of the window when you all kindly knifed Thatcher in the back), still believe that they have the god-given right to win win win. I’m afraid it doesn’t work like that. Cameron is increasingly being seen as a somewhat rather slippery individual, who is a slick PR man and will say anything for a vote. Your own polling should tell you that the majority of constituents deeply despite the EU and all it stands for, and yet your rather gutless leader denied people his “cast-iron guarantee” on a referendum.
Secondly, real down-to-earth honest politics (and politicians) should note that people will tend to vote for the party that is closest to their needs. Unfortunately here your group and the Lib-Dems seem to be rather running scared of the damage that UKIP will eventually inflict on both of you. The Lib-Dems constantly go on about “Labour not winning here” – you in turn try to denigrate UKIP and plead for votes to keep Gordon Brown out.
In other words, your group, Philippa Stroud and Ken Andrews are rather perplexed to see UKIP gradually and constantly gaining ground on you. Yes, Pearson is right to some extent, because a large amount of UKIP members are ex-tories. They and millions of others have lost faith in the Conservative party, and to be honest looking at what’s on offer locally I cannot blame them.
I have always said from the day I defected to UKIP that in the end the populace will decide. Whatever is put out in leaflets will not make a scrap of difference in the end. The people of Belmont will decide my fate as they will all the other candidates, and the people of Sutton & Cheam will decide their next MP. So how about a bit of straight talk for once instead of the waffle?
By the way that should “despise” not “despite” – and thanks for headlining UKIP. You are following the lead of a growing number of national dailies in this respect.
Lord Pearson of Rannoch’s comments have confirmed a viewpoint which I have expressed with frequency on this blog: that the UK Independence Party and its local chieftain, David Pickles, are Enemies of the Sutton Taxpayer.
Despite a number of shrill declarations from David Pickles that he is in it “to win” his actions read very differently. He talks of inflicting damage but not of changing things or making things better for the people or indeed the taxpayers of Sutton.
Lord Pearson has shown through his occasionally alarmist and shrill comments that he is rather out of his depth as the leader of UKIP. Whilst I am not advocate of political correctness (a term often abused by those who simply wish to air a racist or otherwise unpleasant view) these comments have certainly damaged the party’s credibility and its standing in UK politics. This is not entirely dissimilar to David Pickles’ own feverish ‘controversial’ pronouncements on the death penalty, immigration and his indictment of the ‘scum element in society’, whatever that means.
But what this latest and somewhat baffling interview with Malcolm Pearson exposes is that UKIP are not in it ‘to win’ but to keep the Liberal Democrats in power locally and Gordon Brown in Number 10 Downing Street. As I have outlined in other posts the continued occupancy of seats of power from these two left wing high tax parties is – by definition – not in the interests of local taxpayers.
David Pickles, despite many opportunities, has failed to address this point and, I fear, is actually incapable of doing so. A curious handicap for one who is otherwise so eager to voice his view and to ‘debate’.
One wonders what Lord Pearson’s affection is for these ‘real people’ Liberal Democrats in the South West. And similarly one ponders what David Pickles’ attraction is to the Liberal Democrats here in Sutton. Both men are obsessively disgruntled ex-Conservatives with evidently large axes to grind, pandering for a bygone age and political environs in which simplicity and head-banging were the order of the day.
Sadly, this will not bring an end to the spendthrift Liberal Democrat and Labour beast which doth mock the meat eat feeds on- us, the taxpayers of this Borough.
So I say again, in light of new evidence from Malcolm, Baron Pearson of Rannoch, will and can David Pickles dispel the assertion that he is the dedicated and well-documented Enemy of the Sutton Taxpayer and Stooge of the Tax and Spend Liberal Democrats.
Do I hope against hope for a satisfactory answer?
But Cllr Pickles Nick Griffin gets an increasingly large amount of press coverage.
That doesnt make him right.
Cllr Pickles says:
“In other words, your group, Philippa Stroud and Ken Andrews are rather perplexed to see UKIP gradually and constantly gaining ground on you.”
Erm, haven’t UKIP dropped to 2% in the latest opinion polls? BNP and Greens are outpolling them!
Unfortunately, 2% damage in Sutton to the Conservative vote may well be enough to keep the Lib Dems in at both the council and general elections. Sad fact of tactical voting. But if David Pickles thinks the Tories’ arrogance will be their downfall, then heaven knows what his real opinion is of the haughty, power-crazed Lib Dems.
I wonder, in the meantime, if Nick Clegg welcomes the amorous advances of Lord Pearson of Rannoch?
(Does Lord Pearson remind anyone else of a really creepy doctor who might just be bumping off his patients?)
I also notice that on Newsnight last week Lord Pearson had to keep his notes in his hand and constantly referred to them during a four-way studio interview. He is clearly not a master of his brief, and he could certainly do with a bit of media training.
Dominic – I will answer you in due course. At the moment I am rather busy formulating some UKIP policy. Your constant utterings about being the “enemy of the tax-payer” are rather childish, but I will give you a full brief in due course. May I have my dinner in peace now?
David
Far be it from me to intervene in a conversation with you and Dominic, albeit on my blog. However, he did email you yesterday at lunchtime. What kind of Sutton gourmand are you that your dinner lasts a full thirty hours? I know those Euro Emulsified High-Fat Offal tubes can be a bit chewy 🙂
Yes, very droll Paul. UKIP have been and will continue to be very busy within the borough. Just as an aside I wanted to come on here to remind Dominic that Lord Pearson’s comments were very tongue in cheek. If he knew anything at all about politics, which is difficult to believe as he accuses me of being “an enemy of the tax-payer”, he would know that in the South West politics is dominated by the Lib-Dems……..and UKIP. I really must put this gentlemen straight soon, otherwise his comments will be completely off the radar.
Hi David
That explains it.
All of UKIPs policies must be tongue in cheek.
Say hello to Mr Griffin tonight at the AGM
They say that the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result. Either David Pickles of UKIP is unable, incapable or afraid to give a straight answer to a simple and legitimate political question, or I must be bonkers. As an adjunct to that, they also say that anyone who refers to themselves as mad is not mad. Therefore I am sane.
I do not want David Pickles to take offence from my repeated questioning and my thus far futile attempts to get him to repudiate my assertion that he is the Enemy of the Sutton Taxpayer except by calling the Conservatives names or spouting obscure (and odd) elements of UKIP policy. He has not accounted for that which seems to be alarmingly apparent: that he is actively working to secure electoral victory for two political parties which are in a state of war with the taxpayers of this borough. How on earth can that lead any reasoned thinker to arrive at any conclusion other than that David Pickles is the Enemy of the Sutton Taxpayer?
Logically, propping up similar enemies makes him an enemy. His visceral rants on this blog ring alarm bells and his loathing of the Conservative Party seems very personal rather than political. At first I gace him the benefit of the doubt. Pickles obviously struggles to keep a lid on it and one wonders what the back story is. Yes, he treats us to the usual inverted commas “Tories” narrative longing for a return to a distant Hard Right dream, but there is an often vocalised and distinctly personal viciousness that belies his UKIP pro-Liberal Democrat leanings.
As an observer of Sutton politics, I think this is a genuinely tragic thing to behold. Past accomplishments – specifically the oft-resurrected fortnightly bins claim – will fade away into obscurity due to this destructive, negative and frenzied personalised politics which seems to offer nothing to halt the ruthless exploitation of local taxpayers from a brutally spendthrift Liberal Democrat Council and Labour Government. That is more than etched with tragedy and in truth it is an unpleasant political car crash to bare witness to.
I think it has become plainly obvious what Lord Pearson and Pickles want to achieve: more years of brutally high public spending and Hard Left economic policy which will further decline this nation’s standing, prolong the impact of Brown’s debt crisis and leave us, the Sutton taxpayers, footing the bill.
What an unmoving and steadfast Enemy of the Sutton Taxpayer and Vassal to the Hard Left David Pickles has become – and a shocking fall from political grace too.
It’s only 10.23am so I assume Pickles isn’t too busy with brunch to deal with these matters.
Dominic if you look at UKIPs policies they are very close to the early ideas of National Socialism.
I dont mean this in a Nazi way but just a Nationally Socialist way and the word to emphasise here is Socialism.
Their move to the left is very odd.
Right – now I’ve had my dinner, delivered with the help of a vast number of people, Belmont Ward (don’t worry lots of so-called “Tory” strongholds are next), I will sit down and answer “Dominics” rants that I am an “enemy of the Sutton taxpayer”.
Firstly, how long has “Dominic” lived in the borough? I’ve been here 21 years and made it my home, more than can be said for the candidate for Sutton & Cheam, who has made it “her home” because she conveniently was selected for the seat. I will make no further comment on that – maybe further comment will be forthcoming nearer the election or even in the local press, so watch this space as they say. “Dominic” who persistently denies readers here his real name brands me an “enemy”. How can that be? I have lived here for 21 years through choice. I have paid council-tax legally and on time each year me and my family have resided here, so like “Dominic” I don’t want to pay a penny more than I have to. So how does that make me an “enemy”. I’ll tell you how. “Dominic” is obviously nothing more than a “tory” stooge(I use that word lightly, because the “tories” were finished the day they knifed Thatcher in the back, the same as the local “tories” knifed Eleanor Pinfold in the back, the once staunch local leader (now I wonder who set that vulgar and disgusting trap in motion?), therefore his rantings mean nothing at all to me, and should mean nothing to any right-thinking person who happens to alight on this blog.
So, “Dominic”, when you have done as much as I have for the people of Sutton, or achieved anything of material note, then you can slag me off. In the meantime, I would be grateful if you would go to http://www.ukip.org and download our policies. If you don’t fancy the truth (which obviously the spin led “Tories” hate), then I suggest you keep your acidic comments to yourself.
Perhaps DavidG will enlighten you “Dominic” on my powers to help the local electorate. Something you could never hope to do.
Trouble is “Dominic”, people like you are complete amateurs who have been fed the lies and nonsense on this blog. You carry on believing the crap. Meanwhile, I’ll carry on serving the people of Belmont, where I belong. Good day to you, I will not answer any of your stupid comments again. Election day will decide, and I sincerely hope that you don’t get the result you want.
By the way “Dominic” as a last goodnight “kiss” from me, I refer you to page 37 of today’s Daily Mail – that so-called “tory” loving rag of many years.
In that you will read Peter Oborne who has a column every Saturday called “Politics and power”. In it he points out the growing split between Cameron and Osborne. Now tell me, since when has a party ever earnt the trust of the electorate when it’s PM and Chancellor have been at odds? Let alone when they are in opposition! In truth your lot have no chance of power – you are fakes one and all, and it’s about time you as one of their “stooges” on this thread realised it. Maybe one day you will. Until then carry on castigating me and UKIP as much as you like. Unforutately for you, the electorate out there are growing in their knowledge that you and the “tories” stand for absolutely nothing.
Now that UKIP’s David Pickles has supped sufficient at the dinner table raising his strength to reply to my courteous request that he explain why he is not The Enemy of the Sutton Taxpayer and a Vassal of the Hard Left I must confess to being distinctly under whelmed by his response.
In his responses from 30 January 2010 21:22 GMT to 21:56 he has shone the light of public scrutiny and debate onto his case for why he is not The Enemy of the Sutton Taxpayer. I shall list them in turn: –
One: He has lived here for 21 years.
Two: He pays his council tax.
Three: He does it on time.
Four: He reads The Daily Mail.
Five: He believes everything written in it.
So, let us examine these points. He’s not an Enemy of the Sutton Taxpayer because he has lived here for two decades. That is hardly a reason why he is not undermining taxpayer interests through his political activities in serving the Liberal Democrat cause. No doubt many senior Liberal Democrat councillors have lived in the area for a long time but this does not mean that they are serving the taxpayers’ through their relentless and even brutal council tax increases and spendthrift policies.
David Pickles’ logic is very odd here.
Secondly, he says that he has “paid council-tax legally and on time each year”. Surely every right-minded law abiding citizen should do this. Paying your bills and on time is not a heroic act, it is a simple and mundane task expected of everyone. How does this explain why he is not The Enemy of the Sutton Taxpayer?
Factor in his councillor’s payment, somewhere in the region of £10,000, which more than covers his council tax. Indeed whilst I will not castigate him for this payment as I believe elected representatives should be given sufficient financial support, the burden of the council tax on Pickles is actually cost positive for him. So, for David Pickles to paint himself as a hero of local politics/government for paying his council tax smacks of the absurd. Paying your council tax when the taxpayer gives you £10,000 per annum is no great hardship.
Thirdly, he reads The Daily Mail. I read The Times. Many people read The Sun. Some misguided people even read The Guardian. Quoting a newspaper columnist with frequency does not represent a retort against the assertion that he is The Enemy of the Sutton Taxpayer. Bizarre enthusiasm for any reference to the Conservative Party does not, and will not, allay my fears that David Pickles is working to undermine the interests of the Borough’s taxpayers through his tacit, if not operative, support for the spendthrift Liberal Democrats.
The unhappy conclusion is damning: David Pickles of UKIP is The Enemy of the Sutton Taxpayer and a Vassal of the Hard Left.
Enoch Powell said that all political careers end in failure. He is largely right. In David Pickles’ case he has bucked the trend. It appears he was doomed to failure from the start.
Dominic – you are a man of many words, but I’m afraid all of them are utter tosh. How do you know what I read, even though I quote the Mail. I’m not wasting my time on your nonsense. You are obviously a “Tory Stooge” – that is obvious. If you like backing losers then so be it.
Having read this blog for some time I wonder when a new argument may arise from Mr Pickles. An impossible referendum seems to be his common opening gambit and interestingly as the evening goes on, the arguments seem to degrade into repetitions of sarcastic and bitter comments of various back stabbing activities that essentially have little relevance to a voter who wishes to be informed by viewing multiple blogs as I do to decide who to vote for. It is slightly naive to assume that parties have not changed since the Thatcher years and so I wonder simply why you are using her as a reason to steer votes in an election approaching 2 decades later.
Rather than accusing people of being a Tory Stooge and telling us your daily and annual routines I wonder if perhaps you could quieten down and let people who can actually give policies as reasons for votes rather than the ‘utter tosh’ you seem to be accusing a relatively innocent dominic.
Simply put, contribute to a discussion rather than fuel a childish argument where you are the only participant and the rest of us look on, cringe and feel sorry for you.
Lord Pearson sounds like he is one of the very few in parliament with his head screwed on straight.